Scott & Bailey - 2019
by JMonteiro
Summary: Picking up in modern day as if the series never ended.
1. Scene 1 - Scott & Bailey 2019

SCOTT BAILEY - MANCHESTER - 2019

(Tasie, now 19, and heavily pregnant sits on the floor surrounded by puzzle pieces. A mixed race toddler, whose hair looks like it hasn't been brushed in days, sits a few feet away folding her arms and frowning. Tasie picks up a puzzle piece.)

Tasie: Listen, if you don't help tidy you won't get a biscuit.

Toddler: I want a biscuit!

Tasie: Then c'mon.

Toddler: No! (The toddler whines and bangs her heels.)

Tasie: (sighs feeling exhausted and defeated for a moment and then gets creative. She holds the puzzle piece to the floor and puts on a voice.) "Oh, no, we've got to help them get to safety! Grab anyone you can." (She picks up another puzzle piece) "Help us. Help." "Don't worry I've got ya." (She pretends the puzzle piece lifts the other and drags it into the puzzle box. The toddler's interest is peaked in this new game.) "Help us!"

Toddler: Don't worry. I'm here. (The toddler then begins putting the puzzle pieces in the box.)

Tasie: You've almost saved all of them. Keep going. (The toddler does and then stands up when she's decided she's done with the game. She now is smiling ear to ear and is the spitting image of her mother, Rachel.) Oh no, looks like you missed one.

Toddler: No.

Tasie: C'mon, you've gotta save it.

Toddler: No, he died.

Tasie: Oh. (She stifles a laugh with how seriously the toddler has said this and then wonders to what extent she can even understand death.)

Toddler: I need a biscuit now.

Tasie: That's not how you ask. (Tasie picks up the remaining puzzle piece and then struggles to lift her pregnant self from the floor. She makes it to her feet and goes to the small kitchen and retrieves a biscuit for the toddler. The little girl takes it and begins eating.) What do you say?

Toddler: Cheers.

Tasie: I guess. (Opens her mobile and calls "Mum")

Janet: Hiya. I'm just leaving work. Is everything alright? It's not time is it?

Tasie: No Mum. Not yet.

Janet: Alright. Is Sam there with you?

Tasie: No.

Janet: D'you need anything?

Tasie: No, Mum listen.

Janet: Alright.

Tasie: Have you seen your boss today?

Janet: Of course I have. Why?

Tasie: I'm going on night three here wif the little one.

Janet: Night three?!

Tasie: Yeah, and I mean, I'm grateful for the cash and that but I'd just sorta like to know if she plans on ever seeing her again, or if I've become a mum early.

Janet: Has she not been in touch?

Tasie: Not all day. The past two days, she's facetime'd with her to say goodnight or whatever but, today, I haven't got a single text.

Janet: She's got a lot on her plate at the moment.

Tasie: Yeah so have I!

Janet: I know, I know. Don't you worry. I'll talk to her.

Tasie: Thanks Mum.

Janet: Love you. (The phone hangs up. Janet sighs and gets out of her car. She is still in the carpark of MIT and she returns to the building.)

(Janet knocks on the closed door marked "DCI - Rachel Bailey". She hears a muffled "Yeah?" and then pushes it open. Rachel barely looks up from her paperwork as Janet closes the door.)

Rachel: I thought you were off home.

Janet: I was. When do you think you are?

Rachel: Dunno. We're no closer to getting these bastards. Something's here. (She motions over the folders and papers on her desk.) We're just overlooking it. I know it. (She looks back down.)

Janet: Might you be overlooking something else?

Rachel: What?

Janet: Something little. (Rachel stares at her blank but anxious for clues) Something you maybe haven't seen for three nights? (Rachel stares) Something that calls you Mummy, perhaps?

Rachel: (sighs and pushes her fingers through her hair, throwing herself back in her chair.) I have, I rang her, video chat. I don't need a lecture off you. So if that's what you came in here for, you can walk right out.

Janet: Rachel, she's your daughter.

Rachel: (annoyed) I know that.

Janet: She needs more from you than a quick video chat goodnight. She needs you to be there for her. She needs you to tuck her in and snuggle her. Don't you miss her?

Rachel: Of course I do! For fuck-sake Janet, I really don't need this guilt trip right now. I get it, alright, you think I'm a shit Mum.

Janet: No, I don't think your a shit Mum.

Rachel: That's what you're saying.

Janet: No, I'm saying you need to get some work-life balance, Rachel. You need to know when to go home.

Rachel: I've been caught up with all of this.

Janet: I know, but that's another thing I don't get. Working on a case like this, when my ones were little, always made me want to rush home to them. Cuddle them until they were sick of me. But you, seem to be just the opposite.

Rachel: It. (Rachel squints her eyes frustrated that she's being forced to explain herself. She swivels in her chair before sitting forward and looking down at her hands, folded on her desk.) It upsets me more, having her 'round. Because I look at pictures like this, (She holds up a crime scene image of a murdered child.) And when she lifts her little arms up at me, all I can see are these little arms covered in blood and muck. And then, I just start thinking awful things.

Janet: Worse than imagining your toddler's arms covered in blood?

Rachel: Yeah, like...like, maybe I should've never had her.

Janet: Well, it's way too late now.

Rachel: No, I love her to bits. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me outside of this job.

Janet: Good, alright.

Rachel: But, seeing this, you can't, we. (She struggles with the words, chewing them before spitting them out.) I can't always keep her safe…can I?

Janet: (softens) I see.

Rachel: No matter how careful I am. No matter how hard I try to be a good Mum. And like you said, I'm shit at it.

Janet: I never said that.

Rachel: And then, I just get angry because it wouldn't be so impossible if the world wasn't full of sick dickheads like this. (She holds up another picture.) And then, I get so angry that I don't know what to do with meself. I want to cuddle her and I want to kick the bullocks out of somebody all at the same time.

Janet: I understand. Motherhood is scary. You do all you can to steer them right and keep them safe and...I mean, look at my Taise. But you can't avoid her Rachel. Little girls need their Mums.

Rachel: (feeling battered) I know.

Janet: Being a Mum is hard, it's really hard. But you don't want to runaway like your Mum, do ya? (Rachel rubs her forehead with both hands physically admitting her moral defeat here.) You didn't exactly have a great example to fashion yourself after. Being a single mother on top of all that, I can't even imagine. I don't know what I would've done, what with this job and not having Ade when I did, and me Mum. Honestly, I don't know how you do it.

Rachel: I'd ring our Allison but she thinks I'm shit as well and I'd really rather not hear it.

Janet: Rachel, I do not think your shit.

Rachel: No?

Janet: No. (Janet smiles sympathetically and Rachel nods accepting this.) You do have to get home though. You've got to go get her. She needs ya.

Rachel: Yeah. (She stands.) Thanks Janet. (Janet nods and opens the door, waiting for Rachel and they walk out together.)

( The lights in the office are mostly off except for a desk in Rachel's old spot. DC Anna Ram sits at the desk staring at photos.)

Rachel: (To Anna) Haven't you got a wife to get home to? You better get out of here, otherwise you're going to turn into me.

Anna: (cheerily) That's the idea.

Rachel: No one likes a kiss arse. Go home. (Rachel begins walking away.)

Janet: (leans toward Anna and whispers) She loves it actually. Goes right to her head. (Anna smiles and Rachel returns.)

Rachel: Actually, walk out with us.

Anna: Really?

Rachel: Yes. (Anna quickly gathers her things.) I want to hear why you think I should pay you overtime when you haven't found me anything yet. (Rachel looks at her watch) Tick tock. (Anna fumbles with her things. Rachel starts walking away and Janet flashes a sympathetic smile at Anna. Rachel opens the office door.) I'm waiting.

Anna: Right. (She hurriedly tries to catch step with Rachel. Janet follows slowly.) Right so I haven't found anything new exactly.

Rachel: So what have you been doing for the past two hours?

Anna: Same as you? (Rachel stops on the stair causing Anna to freeze in her spot. Rachel steps up a stair and towers over her.) What I meant was-

Rachel: D'you reckon you could do my job, do ya?

Anna: No, no ma'am. Th, th, that's not what I meant. Sorry Boss.

Janet: Rach? (Rachel looks out the corner of her eye at Janet and then proceeds down the stairs again. Both follow.)

Anna: I'm sorry. I meant that I… I've been looking over the case files trying to see what we're missing. Trying to see if anything jumps out. And I know you've got someone looking into the microchips that were retrieved from the children's arms. You've got them looking into who they were registered through and what site they were tracked on. But, I'm thinking, if we work backwards, try to find out who purchased them and from where. After looking at the photos and comparing them to the images of other microchips, I think they look more like the sort that are injected into dogs. I was thinking we could follow a line of inquiry into the local animal hospitals and shelters in the surrounding area. They might know by sight alone who the distributor is.

Rachel: Right. You'll be on that first thing in the morning.

Anna: Yes ma'am.

Rachel: Good night. (Now outside Rachel walks towards her car.)

Anna: (calls after them as they make their distance from her.) Goodnight Boss. Good night Sargent.

Janet: Goodnight. (Janet hurries to catch up to Rachel who is standing by her car looking for her keys.) Go easy on her Rach.

Rachel: Why?

Janet: She looks up to you.

Rachel: So? When was Godzilla ever easy on me?

Janet: Literally ALL the time.

Rachel: (laughs) Shut up.

Janet: I can't count how many times she was this close to sacking you and I had to beg her to take it easy on you.

Rachel: (laughs and shakes her head) Yeah well, I can't count how many times she gave me a right bloody bollocking in front of everyone either.

Janet: Yeah, but most times you deserved it. You were a stroppy little madam know it all. Anna can barely say boo to a mouse.

Rachel: (smiling) Sure, but that's why we've gotta toughen her up. Three years on MIT and she still gets sick in the loos after seeing a corpse. Your skin gets thicker the more it's hided. (Rachel opens her car door.)

Janet: Just try to be a little nicer to her.

Rachel: I'll see what I can do. Goodnight Janet.

Janet: When you get there, kiss my baby for me too, will ya?

Rachel: Uh, no I won't. But I'll do my best to translate the sentiment.

Janet: Goodnight.

Rachel: Bye.


	2. Scene 2 - Scott & Bailey 2019

(Dawn. The ground is wet from an overnight rain. Rachel jogs with her hair in a ponytail pushing her sporty toddler stroller. The child squeals with excitement.)

(Moments later. At home, Rachel sits at the small kitchen table and holds up a card, much like she would a piece of evidence.)

Rachel: Can you tell me what this is?

Toddler: (hair done up in a cute little bow, tilts her head and looks at the card.) Banana?

Rachel: (turns the card to look at it. It's a card with the letter B and an illustration of a banana.) Yes, but what is that? The letter? (Rachel taps the letter on the card to draw the toddler's eyes away from the picture.)

Toddler: H.

Rachel: (sighs) No. I swear you knew this the other day.

Toddler: I need a banana.

Rachel: (looks over to her counter where she spies her fruit basket. A few mushy apples sit rotting. Mutters to herself,) Do better Rachel.

Toddler: I need one.

Rachel: Maybe Tasie will have one for ya at hers, eh? (The toddler nods and stuffs more cereal in her mouth. Rachel watches her and smiles before sipping her coffee.) We've gotta go soon.

Toddler: Why?

Rachel: Because Mummy has to go to work.

Toddler: Why?

Rachel: Because that's what adults do. We have to work.

Toddler: Why?

Rachel: So we can get money for toys and bananas.

Toddler: I need a banana.

Rachel: (sips her coffee) I heard you the first time.

(The office of MIT. Janet walks in exactly two minutes late. She hangs her rain soaked coat on the coat rack.)

DC Lee: Nice for some.

Janet: Sorry?

DC Lee: Rachel bites off my head for requesting two personal days. Days that I've earned, and you, her "Bestie", you've been late 4 days this week and I bet you'll never hear a word.

Janet: Are you keeping my time for me?

DC Lee: No, I'm a detective. I just notice things. And I'm noticing that it's nice for some. (He takes his cup of coffee and walks away.)

Anna: (walks out of Rachel's office. Announces.) Boss wants everyone in the briefing room in 5 minutes. (Everyone starts gathering their things and heading into the briefing room. Anna heads to her desk and grabs her folders. She smiles widely at Janet.) Good morning Sargent.

Janet: Hi Anna.

Anna: I'm in the good books today. (Anna winks at Janet and then follows the rest into the briefing room. Janet lags behind waiting for Rachel to exit her office. She does so with a scone in her mouth, a cup of coffee in one hand and her blazer half on. Janet autonomously responds by grabbing a napkin and catching the scone out of Rachel's mouth. They both start walking and Janet takes the coffee from Rachel allowing her to shrug on her blazer. Janet picks up a stack of folders and places the napkined scone on top, handing them back to Rachel's ready arms. It's a dance they've done before.)

Rachel: Is there something I should know about?

Janet: How'd'you mean?

Rachel: 4th day this week you've been in late.

Janet: Oh, I know, I'm sorry. I-

Rachel: Is it a fella?

Janet: I'd rather not say.

Rachel: (laughs) That's a 'YES' if I've ever heard one. Good job Janet, finally back in the sack. (Janet blushes and rolls her eyes) Four days though, you can't let it happen again otherwise it'll look like I'm giving preferential treatment.

Janet: Yes Boss.

Rachel: (whispers) And I expect to hear all the dirty details after hours.

Janet: Yes Boss. (Janet pushes the door open and Rachel strides into the room. The chatter and laughter quickly stops and everyone's attention is turned onto Rachel. Janet takes her seat as Sargent at the head of the table and Rachel drops her folder and scone onto the table. Everyone waits as she sips her coffee. She takes a wide stance in front of everyone looking over the room.)

Rachel: Alright, well, d'you want the bad news or the bad news? (There is mumbling.)

Anna: The good news?

Rachel: Oh, I'm sorry. I must've misspoke. (She nods and sips her coffee. Then speaks again.) Would you like the bad news or the bad news? (A few chuckles are heard from the room)

DC Neal: (He's young and seems to everyone who's been there for some time like the new "Kevin".) The bad news, boss.

Rachel: Right. (Claps her hands and rubs them together.) The bad news is, you lot have been a great bloody disappointment to me. Honestly, I don't know why we're paying ya. Five days. Five days, two dead babies, and how many leads? How many thoughtful lines of inquiry? Naught. Nil. Nothing. If I could withhold all of your pay, I would, all except for Anna and Janet.

DC Lee: 'Ere we go, Charlie's Angels can do no wrong.

Rachel: Excuse me? How many leads did you come to me with Lee? Hm? Anna stayed on late yesterday, instead of going to the pub, took her two hours of overtime but she finally had something useful to say. What about you? What have you been doing? Hm? (He bows his head and twirls his pen.) So don't you start with that Charlie's Angels shit, alright?

DC Lee: Yes ma'am.

Rachel: Because this is such a high profile case and you lard arses have been sleeping on it for-

DC Neal: Ma'am, we-

Rachel: I'm sorry, did I sound finished?

DC Neal: No, I just-

Rachel: May I finish?

DC Neal: Yes Ma'am.

Rachel: Thank you. (She takes another sip of coffee) I got a call this morning and our DSI no longer believes we can handle the job. Since it is such a high profile case and the media are all over it, it is being taken from us and split into two different investigations. Human trafficking and interpol will be taking over. So, well done everyone. (Groans and mumbles are heard around the room) But, (She smiles at Anna as if to suggest a positive twist) Here comes the bad news! You ready for it? (Everyone looks sullen) Before you lot think you've got a light Friday afternoon ahead of ya because this case is out of our hands, you're wrong. You're all on desk duty until further notice. I need you to gather all evidence, interviews, intelligence and reports and I need them done right. I've got to debrief everyone that's taking over for us, tomorrow morning and you lot will not make me look any more incompetent than you already have. Understood? (There's shy nodding and a few 'Yes Ma'am's' around the table.) Right. Go team. (She says sarcastically before picking up her scone and folder and exiting the room.)


	3. Scene 3 - Scott & Bailey 2019

Janet: (stands, taking control of the room.) Neal and Lee, you two were working together on-

(Several hours later, approaching lunch time. Rachel's office door swings open.)

Rachel: Anna, Neal. (Pauses a second) Where's Neal?

Janet: His food delivery driver just rang downstairs.

Rachel: Anna, go downstairs, grab Neal and his food. There's been a stabbing in a Cafe. Both victims are on their way to the hospital. One in critical condition. I want you two to meet them there. (looks at phone) I've just sent you the address.

Anna: Yes ma'am. (She hops up responding with action.)

Rachel: Pete, Lee. I want you two down at the crime scene. Witness statements, CCTV if they have it.

DC Lee: Yes boss.

Janet: Boss?

Rachel: Sorry Janet, I need you to stay on. At least then, I can trust there won't be any typos in the reports for tomorrow. (Rachel heads back into her office.)

Janet: (As Lee passes) Still think she's got a soft spot for me?

Pete: Ah, Lee, you know Rach better than that. She hasn't got a soft spot for anyone. She's a hard faced, cold-heart-

Janet: Pete, I know you're retiring next month but pack it in until then, yeah?

Pete: What's she gonna do? Get me on a discipline, one month before I'm gone?

Janet: Well, it's like you said. (Pete laughs although he knows she would.)

DC Lee: Sorry I had a go at you Janet.

Janet: It's alright. But if you must know, she did bring up my tardiness on our way to the briefing room. So, none of us go unscathed. (Looks over her shoulder and then back at the men.) You know what she said to me last night? She said "Your skin gets thicker the more it's hided." (Both men chuckle.)

DC Lee: Reckon someone should check on that kid of hers?

Janet: (reigns in her laughter) Stop. She'd never.

Rachel: (steps back out of the office) Sorry, is this social hour? You two get down to the crime scene, now. Janet, you've got double the work to do with everyone gone. Keep 'em chatting if you want to be here all night. (The men clear off.)

(In the car on the way to hospital. Anna drives while Neal eats his sandwich.)

Anna: What's going on with the world eh? Americans are shooting people at Garlic Festivals and we've got people just trying to enjoy a coffee, getting stabbed.

Neal: Better here than there.

Anna: I suppose.

Neal: Yeah, nevermind. The images of those babies just popped back in me head.

Anna: I reckon, it's an illegal adoption ring. I don't know where they're getting the babies from, but I bet you 50 quid that when human trafficking gets to the bottom of it, it's going to be a sleuth of illegally adopted babies.

Neal: People don't normally adopt kids just to murder them.

Anna: No, normal people should go through the normal ways of adopting. These people, they're not being vetted, no one is looking into their background to make sure the kiddies will be safe there. They're just selling them off to the highest bidder. Stuff what happens to them after that. Good luck if it's a happy home.

Neal: Yeah, I hate it got taken off us.

Anna: So does Rachel.

Neal: That's all I was going to say in the briefing room today. I should've never opened my gob.

Anna: No you shouldn't've.

Neal: Godzuki hates me.

Anna: No she doesn't. She hates me.

Neal: You're kidding yourself. You're the golden child. She loves you.

Anna: Does she? I can't tell the difference. (They both laugh as Anna parks in front of the hospital.)

(In the hospital. Anna and Neal stand by the bedside of a bandaged but more or less ok, young woman in her 20s.)

Woman: I'm sorry. I really didn't see anything except his arm.

Neal: Are you sure it was a man?

Woman: (thinks for a moment) No. I had my back to the door when he...when they came in. I was working on my paper for university. (Anna takes notes) And the little bell jingled, over the door. And Miss Rita was in the back of her shop. I've been going there, ever since I've started university. First time away from home. Miss Rita, she's such a nice old woman. Who would do this to her?

Anna: That's what we're going to find out. Ok? (The woman nods and wipes a tear.) If you don't mind going back and slowing down a bit, I know you didn't see the person who entered but when you heard the bell, do you remember hearing anything else.

Woman: Miss Rita yelled from the back that she'd be there in a minute. Whoever it was, didn't respond….I don't think. I wasn't really paying attention because I was working. But Miss Rita always shouts from the back. She likes her soaps. She's got a little telly in the back there. Is she going to be alright?

Neal: She's in critical condition. She lost a lot of blood but the doctors are doing all they can.

Woman: She doesn't deserve this.

Anna: So, Miss Rita called from the back and then what happened?

Woman: I just felt the knife cut me. It was so quick. The blood. (She begins to cry.) He, he sliced my neck. There was so much blood. My hands. I was trying. (She touches where the bandage is on her neck.) Then he stabbed me in the leg. That's when I screamed. He was behind me and I was just, I was just in shock because it seemed like the pain, it came out of nowhere. The knife was in my leg, it hurt so badly. (She wipes tears.) I tried to look at who it was but as I turned he, wiped my blood on my face. Right in me eyes. I was wiping my face but my hands were already covered in blood and I was so scared I was going to die. Then, I heard Miss Rita screaming. I couldn't see anything. I dialed 999.

(Back at MIT. Rachel exits her office.)

Rachel: (announces) We've now got a murder on our hands. The older victim in the Cafe stabbing has just died. I'm off to oversee the CSI. I expect progress when I get back.

(Anna stands outside of the hospital. Neal stands beside her and she holds her phone to her ear.)

Rachel: Anna.

Anna: Two victims, Kelly Winslow, 21, and deceased Rita Lumb, 64. Kelly didn't get a look at the suspect, couldn't tell if it were a man or woman. The suspect entered the Cafe and sliced Kelly's throat and then stabbed her in the leg. To be honest, Kelly seems to be collateral damage.

Rachel: Why do you think that?

Anna: The slice in Kelly's neck is superficial. Whoever it was didn't want to kill her. Just incapacitate her. Whereas Rita-

Neal: Bloody mess! Stabbed all over.

Rachel: So it was definitely personal.

Anna: Yes, whoever did this. Knew Rita.

Neal: And did not like her.

Anna: That's an understatement. We've sent a knife off to forensics. I doubt there will be any prints. The killer left it in Kelly's leg. I doubt they'd do that if it could be traced back to them. Since Kelly was attacked first, the knife that Rita was killed with, may still be at the crime scene.

Rachel: Hopefully they've recovered it. I'm on my way to the scene now. If you've got all the information you can there, head back to the office, get everything that needs to be sent to forensics on rush and log what you can in evidence. (She hangs up.)

Neal: (to Anna) If Rita was as nice an old lady as Kelly says, who would want her dead so badly they minced her face? That's a lot of rage.

Anna: We need to find out more about Miss Rita.


	4. Scene 4 - Scott & Bailey 2019

(Back at MIT. Everyone is back in the office. Rachel speaks to the group.)

Rachel: Lee, talk us through your findings.

DC Lee: We weren't able to recover a murder weapon and the Cafe is very old. No working security cameras and no CCTV for several blocks. So, unfortunately we're relying solely on forensics and eye witness testimony.

DC Neal: And our sole witness to the crime can't recall a single detail about the attacker. She couldn't even narrow down the gender. The only helpful information was that Kelly says the suspect entered through the front door and left through the back.

Pete: Assuming that her account of things is the truth, thanks to mother nature, there is a great big muddy shoe imprint in the gardens behind the Cafe.

DC Lee: There are hundreds of fingerprints in the Cafe as to be expected from a public place. What is suspicious is lack of blood trails leaving the building. A frenzied attack like that would leave the killer covered head to toe in it.

Anna: According to Kelly's account of things. The suspect attacked her first and then killed Rita in the back of the Cafe. The killer went to the Cafe with the intent to kill. The knife they brought with them they attacked Kelly with and left it in her leg. Obviously they weren't afraid of leaving prints, which suggests they were wearing gloves.

DC Neal: Kelly was a regular at Rita's Cafe. She says she can't imagine anyone who would have it in for Rita. We spoke to the nearby shopkeepers and got similar character witnesses, saying Rita was a nice old lady, wouldn't hurt a fly. They also said they didn't see any suspicious activity in the area around the time of the attacks.

Rachel: Why are we so sure it's not Kelly?

DC Neal: No blood. The shoe print outside.

Rachel: All the wounds on Kelly were superficial, right? No fingerprints on the knife except for hers. Could mean gloves could mean, she's the one who used it. Once the autopsy is done we'll know if the type of blade that butchered Rita might be the same knife. Could the shoe print be from a vendor or maintenance man?

Anna: We're actually looking into that. Rita's calendar suggests there was a maintenance man due to fix the alarm system on her flat above the Cafe. Which suggests she may have known to be concerned for her safety.

DC Neal: So, we're looking into her call registry and bank statements to see which security company she's contacted or made any payments to. The vendor could be another suspect or a potential witness to any activity around the flat. They might know what Rita was so worried about.

Rachel: Good. Good job. Seems like everyone's finally got their brains working again. (She looks at the clock.) I expect we'll have all the lab results first thing in the morning. So everyone assigned to this case should be here 7am sharp. Everyone can go home, except Janet and maybe two others who would like to stay and help her finish up. If you are keen for the overtime bring me your slip for approval. Goodnight. (Everyone begins packing up. Rachel goes back into her office.)

(It's dark. The office has been quiet for some time. Janet enters Rachel's office without knocking.)

Rachel: (finishes a text and tosses her phone down.) I swear, the pregnancy hormones are really getting to your Tasie. She's being a stroppy little so-and-so.

Janet: I know. She text me several times today. Complaining that you shorted her on payment this morning.

Rachel: Yeah, as if I've ever stiffed her! I wouldn't. I had the full amount on me, but this morning our Charlie kept banging on about wanting bananas so I had to stop and get her some.

Janet: I didn't know you paid Tasie so much. With that amount you could have Charlotte in a proper school. A posh one, at that.

Rachel: Yes, but I trust Tasie.

Janet: Well, that makes one of us.

Rachel: You know what I mean. She's least likely to sell my daughter on the darkweb.

Janet: Right.

Rachel: Anyway, what have you got for me? (Janet hands over a consolidated folder. Rachel looks it over. They're in silence for a few moments.) Looks good. Thank you Janet. Gold meeting and reviews booked up my Saturday. Before I got the call this morning, I was hoping I'd be able to make up time with the little one this weekend.

Janet: You've still got Sunday, ntcha?

Rachel: Maybe.

Janet: What do you think about the London zoo?

Rachel: Generally nothing. Why?

Janet: Have you brought Charlie yet?

Rachel: No.

Janet: So whatcha think? I'd fancy a trip to London on Sunday with ya.

Rachel: Have they got hippos?

Janet: Yeah. They've got everything. Have you not been to the London Zoo?

Rachel: Why would I have?

Janet: Not as a kid?

Rachel: Who would've brought me? Our Allison?

Janet: Not, on a date?

Rachel: Can you imagine me, on a date, at a zoo?

Janet: No. I can't really imagine you on a date. I can rather vividly see you having a shag though.

Rachel: Alright. No need to bring that up.

Janet: So, what d'you reckon?

Rachel: Sure why not.

Janet: Great! (they both begin exiting the office.) Why did you ask about hippos?

Rachel: (shrugs) Charlie's got this thing for hippos at the moment. Odd. Odd kid.

Janet: Bless.


	5. Scene 5 - Scott & Bailey 2019

(Late that night. Rachel sits on her sofa with a folder in her lap. She looks to her side where Charlie, her toddler is sleeping with her mouth open. Rachel remembers a time when she'd rather sleep in another room than next to someone who snores. Now, she can't imagine what she'd do without this little snore. She softly pets her baby's hair before letting out a yawn of her own.)

(Next morning. Rachel has fallen asleep on her sofa in a position that only looks like it'll result in muscle cramps. Charlie wakes up first and catches her bearings. She squirms her way out of her blanket and smiles before sticking her finger in her mother's open mouth. Rachel gags and startles awake.)

Rachel: What the f- (She sees her smiling toddler and her neck muscles tense up with the change of position. Groggily,) What're you doing?

Toddler=Charlie: Your mouth was open.

Rachel: So, you stick your hand in?

Charlie: Yeah.

Rachel: Why?

Charlie: (stares blankly at her annoyed mother. She looks aside at the light coming through the windows then smiles back to her mother's tired face.) Mummy, you know what today is?

Rachel: Saturday.

Charlie: No. It's a bright shiny day.

Rachel: Hm. (She raises her eyebrows in a lame attempt to feign enthusiasm. She then grabs her phone from the nearby table. It's one hour before her alarms were set to go off and it wasn't plugged in all night. The battery is at 9%.) Shit. (She groans as she shifts her body forward, hating the reminder that she's getting older.) What'd'you reckon Charlotte? I'll get you dressed and you can go to work for me.

Charlie: Work?

Rachel: Yeah. You go to work and catch all the bad guys. And I'll go to Tasie's and nap and eat bananas.

Charlie: I can come too?

Rachel: No, you've got to go to work.

Charlie: (eyes well up) Why?

Rachel: (laughs) I know. That's how I feel at the moment. (Charlie begins quietly crying. Rachel laughs and sits up.) Oiy, hey? (She pulls Charlie onto her lap.) Why are you crying you silly bugger?

Charlie: I don't want to go to work!

Rachel: (laughs and hugs her crying child.) Alright, alright. Here, how about, I go to work and you go to Tasie's? D'you think that's a better idea? (Charlie pulls her head back to look into her mother's eyes. Charlie nods.) Alright. We'll do that then.

Charlie: Ok.

Rachel: Let's get washed up.

(Hours later. Rachel arrives at the MIT office. She's just handed over the case to the other departments and had a discouraging conversation with the DSI about her failure to lead her team. When she enters the office she hears laughter and it dies down as soon as they see that she's there. Anna, Neal, Lee and Pete have all gone stone faced and turn to their computers. They all mumble their version of a greeting to her. She frowns. She remembers when she used to be in on the joke. Now she's not sure if she IS the joke.)

Rachel: How's your morning been?

Pete: Better than yours I reckon.

Rachel: Yeah. (She nods. She's not able to imagine Gill as downtrodden as she feels now.)

Pete: You've got a face like a slapped arse.

Rachel: Thanks Pete, I tried a new mascara today. (Neal is the only one who laughs at this and Rachel twists her lips to the side to avoid smiling.)

Anna: (Eagerly) I'm ready for briefing when you are ma'am. Forensics have come back and intelligence-wise things have gotten weird.

Rachel: Good weird? Incriminating towards Kelly weird?

Neal: How about Grandma's in online sex chats, weird?

Rachel: Eeew.

Pete: Ey, can we cool it with the Grandma talk?

Rachel: Ah, yeah, that's right. You're not far behind her. Age is but a number.

Neal: (chuckles) Yeah, It's all about how old you feel on the inside.

Anna: Then Pete's 83. (Everyone but Pete laughs at this and he glares at Rachel. She enjoys her laugh in spite of him and then puts her serious boss face back on. She can barely remember a time when Pete didn't have it out for her. His dislike for her only intensified once she was fast tracked for Gill's job. This job was all she ever wanted and she knew if anyone was waiting for her to screw it up, it was Pete.)

Rachel: So, wait before you tell me more about the online sex chat, what were the forensics on the knife?

Neal: Inconclusive. It could have been a knife of similar size that was used on Rita but none of Rita's blood was found on the knife left in Kelly's leg.

Rachel: Fingerprints?

Anna: As we thought. None except for Kelly's. The blade was however, positive for bleach. So, it appears to have been cleaned before it was used on Kelly.

Rachel: That's weird.

Anna: Either it was used on Rita, and cleaned and then on Kelly, by Kelly. Or, it's been used for someone else prior to this attack.

Neal: And we're thinking, it's been used on someone else prior to this attack. We're thinking the killer was organized.

Rachel: Why so much rage in the face stabbing?

Neal: The intelligence we've got off Rita's computer, it looks like she's been a little lonely.

Anna: Online dating profiles, a few flirty messages from some old blokes, and-

Neal: A paid membership to a fetish site.

Anna: She's got back and forth communication with a few users, who apparently liked to watch her on camera. One of them in particular, a DaddyBigCox69, every conversation after a bit of dirty talk, he brings up wanting to meet her, to touch her in real life.

Rachel: What are we doing to track down who he is?

Neal: It looks like he uses a VPN and it's difficult to pin down his IP address but we're working on it.

Rachel: Good. Good job. Keep going. (She nods approval of her two youngest detectives and then goes into her office.)


	6. Scene 6 - Scott & Bailey 2019

(Sunday morning. Janet is driving and a children's song about "going to the zoo" plays on the radio it very repetitive and says "zoo, zoo, zoo" It's Charlotte's first time hearing it and she already knows every word. Janet sings along with the toddler and teasingly nudges Rachel's arm. Rachel looks at her as if she has three heads.)

Janet: C'mon Mummy. Sing a long.

Rachel: Never going to happen. (Janet laughs at how embarrassed Rachel seems by this childish display.)

(At the zoo. Charlotte can hardly contain her excitement. Rachel and Charlotte pose for a few photos in front of different animal exhibits. Charlotte skips along holding Janet's hand and pointing excitedly at every spectacle as if she's not been outside before. At the tiger exhibit, Janet holds Charlotte up so that she can see them lying in the distance. Charlotte is in awe. Janet looks over to Rachel who is welling up. A single tear snakes down her cheek and she quickly turns away. When she turns back, the tear is gone and a smile has appeared. She snaps a photo of Janet and Charlotte on her mobile. All three now stand in line waiting to purchase icecream. Rachel's mobile rings and it's Anna.)

Rachel: I've gotta take this.

Janet: Right.

Rachel: If you get to the top of the queue, when she says she wants vanilla, what she really means is chocolate. For whatever reason, she can't get them right.

Janet: (laughs) She's only th-

Rachel: Hello? Anna. (Rachel walks away from the line and Janet holds both of Charlotte's hands as she stands in front of her. Charlotte watches another child around her age, nag a woman several feet away. She smiles up at Janet, and apart from her curly hair and naturally tanned skin, she looks just like her mother. Cheeky.)

Charlotte: Nan. Nan. Nana!

Janet: Nan? Are you calling me Nan?

Charlotte: (laughs) Yes!

Janet: I'm no-(She stops herself. Charlotte holds each of Janet's pinky fingers and smiles up at her, her curly pigtails bobbing side to side. Janet then looks over to Rachel who paces back and forth, her face serious as she listens to Anna.) You want me to be your Nan?

Charlotte: Yes!

Janet: Alright then.

(Rachel, still a distance away, bites the skin around her thumbnail. She quit smoking years ago when she decided to keep her baby but hadn't found a replacement habit that wasn't self-destructive in some way, once she bit her fingernail so low that it bled.)

Rachel: Good Anna. Write up an interview strategy and we'll have you at it Monday morning. Shit. (Rachel recognizes a man at a nearby exhibit with a child of about 9 years.) Shit shit.

Anna: Boss?

Rachel: Gotta go Anna. Get to work. Bye. (She hangs up before Anna can respond and she quickly darts away from this man's potential line of sight. She scans the food line and Janet and Charlotte are just finished paying. Janet struggles holding all three icecreams and Charlotte holds on to Janet's shorts. Charlotte waves at her mother excitedly and Rachel pulls the zoo map out of her pocket as she approaches them. Janet sets the icecreams down on a nearby table and lifts Charlotte into a seat. Rachel touches Janet's back before Janet fully takes her seat at the table.) If we keep walking, cut through there. (She points at the map) We can get to the hippos and the exit.

Janet: (Squints at Rachel, unsure of her sudden urgency) You haven't got to go to the office have ya?

Rachel: No, no. Everything's fine there.

Janet: Ok. (She shakes her head, still unable to read Rachel's change of mood.) Alright, well we'll see the hippos right after we finish our treats.

Rachel: I, I think we should keep walking.

Janet: Why if we've got all day? Sit, before yours is soup. (Janet kicks a chair out for Rachel. Rachel looks over her shoulder having lost sight of the man.)

Charlotte: Nan said sit!

Rachel: (narrows her eyes at her offspring.) Nan? (Charlotte points at Janet. Rachel laughs and looks once more attempting to find the man in the crowd. She relaxes some when she doesn't see him and sits. She takes a mouthful of icecream and then looks at Janet.) Nan?

Janet: (whispers) She overheard another kid and I- I didn't have the heart to tell her no. With your mum being- (Rachel nods) And I will be a Nan soon anyway. I better get used to it.

Rachel: Alright. Nan. (Rachel laughs again. Charlotte joins her, laughing loudly, enjoying their pretend family game.) Nan's babysit for free, don't they?

Janet: Not this one.

Rachel: What'd'you reckon Charlie? You want to go to Nans house for free? And Mummy will keep all the money for toys!

Charlotte: Yay! And bananas!

Rachel: Yeah. (Janet smirks and shakes her head at her cheeky best friend.) Careful. (Rachel reaches over and wipes Charlotte's face with a serviette and tucks it into her shirt. Janet watches the mother-daughter moment. Janet was one of the few people that got to see Rachel's vulnerabilities. Charlotte has definitely made her softer.)

Janet: What was that about by the tigers?

Rachel: What was what?

Janet: By the tigers. You had a bit of a moment there.

Rachel: Nothing gets past you Sargent Scott. Does it?

Janet: That's why you keep me around.

Rachel: At this point, I keep you for pure entertainment value. That's it.

Janet: So, what was it?

Rachel: (rolls her eyes) Nothing. I just-I'd never seen one before. Like, in real life. With me own eyes. Ya know, it's different from being on the telly or whatever. It just made me feel I dunno, small.

Janet: Small?

Rachel: Whatever, I'm talking bollocks. (She fills her mouth with icecream to avoid letting anything else come out of it. She looks past Janet's sympathetic gaze, annoyed by it, and catches sight of the man again. He makes direct eye contact with her.) Shit.

Charlotte: Mu-mmy. (She rolls her eyes as if tired of having to correct her mother.) Potty-mouth.

Rachel: Shit.

Janet: What?

Rachel: He saw me.

Janet: Who?

Rachel: A bloke, her, her, her bloke.

Janet: (Confused) Charlotte's bloke? Her-(eyes widen) I thought you didn't know who it was.

Rachel: I didn't. Until, I had her, and then, well, she made it really obvious who it was. It was one or the other, and there she is, other.

Janet: You never said! (Turns to see) Where?

Rachel: Don't look! We've gotta go.

Charlotte: Nooo! I need to see the hippos!

Rachel: We'll see them, alright, but we've gotta get moving.

Charlotte: (whines) I want to see them! Nan? (Her eyes are desperate and her chin drips with icecream.)

Janet: You will Charlotte.

Rachel: (stands and gathers things.) Alright let's-

Man: Rachel? (Rachel closes her eyes and nervously bites the inside of her lip. Janet leans closer.)

Janet: Oh that one. He's handsome.

Rachel: He's coming over?

Janet: Yeah.

Man: Rachel Bailey? (Rachel takes in a deep breath and turns to face the tall dark-skinned man who now stands before them.)

Rachel: Hiya!

Man: I thought that was you.

Rachel: Well, you would've made a right bloody fool of yourself if it wasn't.

Man: (laughs) Too right. What're you doing back in London? I heard you got some big promotion up in Manchester.

Rachel: Am I not allowed a day off?

Man: Sure, yeah, of course.

Rachel: I'm uh, here with my mate. This is my mate, Janet.

Janet: Hello. (She puts her hand out for a shake. The Man takes it and shakes.)

Man: Spencer. (Rachel mouths the name "Spencer" making it obvious to Janet she didn't remember until now.) I think I remember hearing a lot about you Janet.

Janet: All good, I'm sure.

Man=Spencer: Yeah, from what I remember Rachel really looks up to ya.

Rachel: What? Shut up.

Janet: I've taught her a lot over the years.

Rachel: What, what uh- Why are you at the zoo?

Spencer: I've got my son with me.

Rachel: Your son. Right. (This is new information.)

Spencer: It's my weekend to have him. (He points at his son who is holding a spot in the queue. Janet eyes up the little boy, whose complexion and hair match Charlotte's.)

Rachel: Good, good, good.

Spencer: And who's this lovely little lady?

Rachel: Charlie. Charlotte.

Spencer: Hiya Charlotte.

Rachel: She's Janet's. (Janet laughs at the idea of her having a child that young.)

Janet: (looks to the man) What she means is, she's my granddaughter.

Spencer: Nice to meet you Charlotte. (Charlotte frowns at Spencer.)

Janet: Can you say 'Hi' Charlotte?

Charlotte: Bugger off. (Janet's eyes widen and Rachel bursts into laughter.)

Janet: Charlotte, that's not nice. (Charlotte fills her mouth with icecream. She looks to her mother for affirmation. Rachel continues to chuckle, some of it nervous laughter, some of it embarrassment.) Sorry, her mum's got a potty-mouth. I was hoping for better manners off this one.

Rachel: Bad luck.

Spencer: It's such a nice surprise seeing you again Rachel. (He touches her arm in a familiar fashion and she crosses them uncomfortably in response.) I wish we hadn't lost touch. (Rachel nods.) I should probably catch up to Nicholas. (he gestures towards his son in queue.) Maybe I could get your number and we can catch up another time?

Rachel: I've got a lot on at the moment. So, I can't.

Spencer: (smirks) Yeah, we'll do it another time.

Rachel: I don't. (Rachel scratches the back of her head) I don't think so. I'm very very busy. I don't really have time for friends. (There's a long awkward pause. Spencer looks at Janet who makes a 'yikes' face and looks away.)

Spencer: (slowly) Says the woman.. out with a friend... at the zoo.

Rachel: (sighs frustrated) Fine, I-(She shakes her head making a final attempt to find nice words.She shrugs giving up.) I don't want to give it ya.

Spencer: (laughs) What?

Rachel: You heard.

Spencer: I don't understand.

Rachel: What don't you understand?

Janet: Rach.

Spencer: I thought we were mates.

Rachel: Yeah, we _were_ mates. Three years ago. Now we're not and I'd rather keep it that way.

Spencer: Wow. Alright. Excuse me for stopping. Snobby bitch. (He briskly walks off. Rachel continues to stand her ground although she's no longer being challenged.)

Janet: Rach? (Rachel nods acknowledging Janet and kisses the top of her daughter's head before taking a seat.) Rachel?

Rachel: (to Charlotte) Are you ready to see hippos?

Charlie: Yaaaay!

Janet: We're talking about this.

Rachel: I'd rather not.

(On the way back. Janet drives and Charlotte is asleep in her carseat. Rachel stares out the window, unconsciously picking at her thumbnail.)

Janet: (softly as if speaking to a child) You ready now?

Rachel: (blinks a few times before looking to Janet, registering in her mind that she was spoken to, but not having heard what was said.) What?

Janet: Are you ready to talk about (extra emphasis) Spenc-er?

Rachel: Oh. (exhales heavily and leans her head against the car window. She pouts.) Do we have to?

Janet: When were you going to tell me, you knew who (whispers) her dad was?

Rachel: Well, I mean, by sight. What was I meant to say, " Oh Janet, I figured it out. It was a black man?" That's bleeding obvious. I didn't remember his name. He was working on Vice when we met.

Janet: So, why, what- you obviously never tried to reach him and let him know. Why not?

Rachel: Why would I?

Janet: For her, for Charlotte. So she can have a Dad.

Rachel: Why?

Janet: Because little girls need their dads-

Rachel: No. I had one and he was a depressed, unemployed, alcoholic arsehole who never gave a toss about anyone but himself. I can't think of a single time I needed him.

Janet: Right, but Spencer doesn't seem like that type. He's got his son on weekends. He seems like he's got his head screwed on alright.

Rachel: So? What was I supposed to say? "Oh yeah, alright Spencer, here's my number. By the way, 3 years ago when I left London I was pregnant. I'd've let ya know sooner but I forgot your name, plus I was having it off with another bloke and I couldn't be sure if it was yours until I popped her out."

Janet: I don't know. Maybe.

Rachel: Yeah. I'm sure he's got an alright life. Me and Charlotte are just fine without any interference. You said, the other day, I'm not shit. So, I reckon we'll be alright without some bloke I knew for five minutes three years ago trying to take over.

Janet: No one said anything about taking over Rachel. But think about it, what would happen to Charlotte if something happened to you?

Rachel: Well, she's lucky I barely leave the office nowadays. I've got a nice comfy office job, filled with paperwork and telling you lot what to do. (Janet sighs and focuses her eyes on the road. Rachel can see that Janet's body language has gotten tighter and she's frustrated with her. She really doesn't want the bother so she looks out the window and they sit in silence.)

Janet: I've got three names for you. (Rachel blinks a long blink before looking back to Janet, she rarely let things drop.) Jeff Hastings. Helen Bartlett. Nick Savage.

Rachel: Alright.

Janet: Attacked in my home, on a comfy day out of the office. Attacked in a carpark, shopping for an engagement do. Attempted murder on a day off, crossing the road. Anything can happen. What would happen to Charlotte?

Rachel: I suppose our Ali would have her.

Janet: I've known you for going on eight years now? And ya know, sometimes I think, wow, you've grown up so much, and really gone through a lot, but every once in awhile, WHAM! There she is, the old thick-headed, selfish-

Rachel: Why are you having a go at me? We just had a great day. Why're you doing this now?

Janet: Do you think I want to be doing-

Rachel: Yeah, I do, because you are! I think you love it when you feel like you've got the moral upperhand and you get to tell me off.

Janet: I do not love it-

Rachel: You do because you do not miss an opportunity.

Janet: Would I be your mate if I just sat here and told you what you wanted to hear? Or would you rather me tell you the truth?

Rachel: She's my daughter.

Janet: And his.

Rachel: No-

Janet: If she's got the chance to have a proper family, a dad, a brother, possibly a real Nan. But you don't want to do it because you'd have to sit through an awkward conversation that makes you sound a bit like a slag, then you're being selfish Rach. You're putting yourself before your daughter. And I would tell you who that reminds me of, but I reckon you've already worked it out.

Rachel: Shit. (Janet looks over and Rachel's thumb is bleeding. She bit it too hard. Rachel sucks on it and then turns away from Janet looking out the window.) She's got a proper family. She's got me.

Janet: I know.

Rachel: And you.

Janet: I know your situation was not an ideal one, but not all dads are bad. Just like you know not all mums are selfish. (She gently touches Rachel's knee. Rachel looks over and nods this time softened by her sympathetic eyes.) Think of Ade. He's a brilliant Dad.

Rachel: Yeah.

Janet: You're not, I don't think you're selfish, not really. You're a brilliant mum. I think, I think, you're scared and shutting yourself off is the easy way out for you. I've seen you do it before. It's how you cope.

Rachel: Are you me therapist now?

Janet: I think, for her sake, you should try. Have a conversation with this Spencer bloke. See what he's about before writing him off.

Rachel: What if he's a knobhead? It's one thing if I get messed about, but if anyone ever hurt her-

Janet:I understand. Just chat with him. Talk to him first before you say anything about her.

Rachel: I'll think about it. (Janet nods and they continue driving in silence.)


	7. Scene 7 - Scott & Bailey 2019

(Late that night, Rachel lay in bed with Charlotte sprawled out beside her. Her tiny little body was exhausted from a day filled with so much excitement as if she was the one that drove the 6hours. Rachel watches her little girl's chest rise and fall with each breath before her eyes brim with tears. She gets off of the bed and heads to the kitchen. She pulls a stem-less wine glass from the sink and rinses it before filling it with red wine that was sitting on the counter. She takes a much too long sip and then exhales deeply. She stares into the dark liquid, still moving about with all the lights out. She looks out the pitch black window at her sleepy street and then grabs her mobile, calling Allison. It rings and rings and she's about to hang up when there's an answer.)

Allison: (Groggily) Hello?

Rachel: Hi. Sorry to wake ya.

Allison: No you didn't. I was just watching a film on the telly.

Rachel: Oh.

Allison: Is everything alright?

Rachel: Yeah.

Allison: Shouldn't you be in bed though? You've got to be in bright and early Madam SIO, DCI, ABC, LFO, OMG whatever.

Rachel: Yeah.

Allison: What's up?

Rachel: I took our Charlotte to the zoo today.

Allison: Aw, that's nice. How is the little bugger?

Rachel: Good. She's great. We're good.

Allison: That's good. (There's a pause and Allison waits. She raised Rachel since the age of twelve and she knew it was never easy for her to talk things through. She required a lot of patience and little prodding otherwise she'd clam right back up. Rachel bites the plaster on her thumb.)

Rachel: Ali, you know our Dad?

Allison: I remember him quite well actually.

Rachel:D'you reckon he loved us?

Allison: Yeah, of course he did. In his way.

Rachel: I just, I can't seem to remember much of him, besides the back of his hand.

Allison: Yeah well, you were always challenging him. Winding him up. You never knew when to keep your mouth shut.

Rachel: Remind me. Remind me of something good about him. (She sips her wine and then frowns at it.)

Allison: He uh. Well, he was well proud of you when you got your first job as a copper.

Rachel: Was he?

Allison: Yeah, he told all his mates at the pub.

Rachel: I need to remember something good. Something I was there for.

Allison: (sighs and rolls over away from the tv. She stares up at the ceiling trying to conjure up a good memory of Rachel and their father. After their mother left, he sank deep into the bottle, and Rachel always looked so much like their mum that he had much less patience with her.) Right, um...Do you remember the holidays in Blackpool?

Rachel: (She rubs the plaster over her lips thinking and then laughs) I do. I remember, I remember digging a pit with my pale and going over to the water to fill it up. When I came back Dom had filled it all in with sand.

Allison: (laughs) I don't remember that. Sounds like our Dom though.

Rachel: I'd forgotten that until now. I think I hit him because I remember you being cross with me.

Allison: Probably. I don't remember. You two were always going back and forth.

Rachel: Yeah.

Allison: Anyway, in the car, on the way to the seaside, we used to play a game with Dad. A shopping game. "I popped 'round the shop and I bought-"

Rachel: Oh? (She nods alone in her dark kitchen.)

Allison: And we had to take turns coming up with things, A through Zed. And remember what each one had said that gone before us.

Rachel: Dom always lost.

Allison: He did. And then mum, then me. It always came down to you and Dad.

Rachel: I do remember that. God. (She finishes her wine.) We were almost normal.

Allison: Imagine.

Rachel: How did they let it get as bad as it did?

Allison: She broke his heart and he never could cope.

Rachel: Ali.

Allison: Yeah?

Rachel: If anything ever happened to me, you and Tony, you'd have Charlotte, wouldn't ya? You'd love her like I do?

Allison: Course. On my life, I would. Why? Is everything ok at work? You're not being stalked again, are ya?

Rachel: No no, nothing like that.

Allison: Then what's brought all this on?

Rachel: Nothing. (shrugs) I just, I'd never seen a tiger before today. And I didn't think something like that would matter, because, I mean, it doesn't, does it? But it does in a way. Ya know?

Allison: No, you've lost me, love.

Rachel: I just want Charlotte to have everything. See everything, do everything. Everything I never could because our parents were useless twats.

Allison: You're doing a bang up job already Rachel. She's clever just like you. I know it's not easy on your own, but...just know, when she's your age, she won't be up in the middle of the night, ringing somebody else, trying to remember if she was loved or not.

Rachel: (laughs and wipes a tear) Yeah. Thanks Allison.

Allison: Of course.

Rachel: I should get back to bed.

Allison: Was that all?

Rachel: Yeah.

Allison: Make sure you send me pictures from the zoo.

Rachel: I will.

Allison: Do it now before you forget.

Rachel: Alright!

Allison: Goodnight.

Rachel: Bye-bye. (Rachel hangs up the mobile and selects a few photos of Charlotte and her to send to Allison. After she does she puts the wine glass back in the sink and leans against the counter staring at the photo of Janet holding Charlotte in front of the tigers. She bites the plaster on her thumb and then goes to her contacts scrolling quickly to the bottom. There are several contacts under "VICE-" And then a first name. She stops at VICE- Spencer and chews her lip before selecting him. She texts.) _This is Rachel. Sorry for being a bitch at the zoo earlier. I was caught by surprise sorry if I embarrassed you. I would like to catch up sometime. _(She hovers her non-injured thumb over the send button, fighting her final reservations and sends it. She leaves the kitchen. Halfway to her room, her phone buzzes. She stops in her tracks and reads.)

Spencer: (text) _Oh, so you did save my #? Good job I haven't switched phones in the last 3 years. _

(text) _You're still as fit as ever._

Rachel: (text) _You too. _

(text) _I wasn't lying when I said I got a lot on. It's hard for me to get anytime away. But if we can manage it, I would like to get a drink sometime._

Spencer: (text) _My place or yours?_

Rachel: (text) _Manchester would be ideal for me._

Spencer: (text) _D'you miss me?_

Rachel: (scoffs at this and shakes her head. She replies.) _No. _(She then continues walking and gets into bed beside her snoring daughter. Her phone lights up with another text. She reads.)

Spencer: (text) _But you were just thinking of me at this time of night? _

Rachel: (text) _So?_

Spencer: (text) _So, I was thinking of you too. _(The next text is a dick pic. Rachel grimaces at it's unsolicited nature but then takes a second to admire it. She hasn't gotten any action in a long time. Too long for her liking.)

Rachel: (text) _Classy! You actual DICKhead. Don't screw this up._

Spencer: (text) _Sorry, you have that effect on me._

Rachel: (text) _Goodnight! _(Rachel plugs her phone back on the charger and snuggles up to Charlotte and studying the few features that are different from Rachel's own. Her bottom lip, her nose, these were Spencer's features and they were part of what made her little girl so beautiful. Maybe she should be grateful for that?)

(Next Morning. MIT office. Anna knocks on Rachel's office door but enters before she's told to. Rachel does not welcome the intrusion and glares at Anna.)

Anna: Kelly's being brought in.

Rachel: What for?

Anna: Apparently she were just at the crime scene, trying to get passed the uniforms. She kept screaming for Rita, and asking what happened, and insisting on being let in.

Rachel: I knew it. She's mad, 'n't she?

Anna: Mentally unstable. Yes, ma'am. Seems like it.

Rachel: When they bring her in, she'll need to be evaluated before you can speak to her again. Check her mental status.

Anna: Right. If she has, sort of snapped, maybe she was the one who attacked Rita, and doesn't remember? Like a dissociative state?

Rachel: Right, get on the phone with the NHS, we need a mental health practitioner here for the evaluation and we won't want to waste any time. If she is mentally ill and we hold her for too long without having a doctor look at her, that could jeopardize the entire investigation. Let them know we need them here as soon as possible. Then we may be able to detain her under the Mental Health Act while we continue the investigation. We need to find her family, anyone who knows her. Help us to get a better idea of if she's capable of something like this, and if she's had this sort of breakdown in the past. Tell Janet I need her in here. (Anna nods and then exits Rachel's office. Janet soon enters.)

Janet: Yes?

Rachel: Anna's told me, Kelly's being brought in and that she's not mentally fit. With the bleach on the knife and the fact that we've not recovered another potential murder weapon and there's no one to cooborate Kelly's version of events-

Janet: We're thinking it was her.

Rachel: Yes. If you could get someone on looking into her, her university, her social media accounts, get a warrant for her flat.

Janet: Should I stop them for looking for "DaddyBigCox"?

Rachel: Not yet. We don't have anything conclusive on Kelly. It's all circumstantial. So, yeah, I would bet all my money that it's her, but I'm also not ready to rule anyone else out.

Janet: Gotcha. (Janet starts to leave.)

Rachel: Oh, Janet.

Janet: Yes?

Rachel: Speaking of Daddy's and big-ya know. (Rachel holds out her phone. Janet puts on her reading glasses and steps closer to see Rachel's screen.)

Janet: Oh my god. (Janet blushes and covers the phone with her hand. Rachel laughs and twirls in her chair.) Who is? What-

Rachel: Spencer.

Janet: No!? Really?

Rachel: Yeah.

Janet: So, you've text him then?

Rachel: Yeah.

Janet: I'd ask how it's going, but I guess, alright by the looks of it.

Rachel: I dunno. We'll see. I just wanted to see that look on your face. It'll be teatime before the red leaves your cheeks.

Janet: I could have you for sexual harassment.

Rachel: As if.

Janet: Any other body parts you'd like to show me, or should I get back to work boss?

Rachel: Go on. (Janet shakes her head at Rachel's playfulness and begins to leave.) Janet, (Janet pauses again.) Don't think I forgot that you haven't told me anything about this fella of yours.

Janet: I've gotta go rally the troops.

Rachel: (nods) Yeah, right. (Janet quickly exits.)


	8. Scene 8 - Scott & Bailey 2019

**WARNING: GRAPHIC SEXUAL CONTENT**

(A few hours later. Everyone is in the briefing room.)

Rachel: (sits at the head of the table beside Janet.) Janet, why don't you start?

Janet: We've been at it all day and we can't find anything on Kelly Winslow. It's as if she's just appeared. Her social media has only been active for 3 months. The same amount of time she claims to have been in University. Neal and Anna have spoken to a professor of hers, and he knows her only by sight. Apparently, he's got so many students that he doesn't bother taking roll. The University didn't have any records of her.

Anna: Her social media account has only fellow classmates but no actual posts from Kelly.

Janet: We got a warrant for her flat and while it didn't bring us any closer to figuring out who she really is, what we found there does implicate her as our killer.

Rachel: (looks at her paperwork) A bin bag, containing a pair of trainers?

Anna: Yes! They don't match the shoe print that was left outside the Cafe, but the lab has found traces of blood in the soles. The blood doesn't match Rita's or Kelly's. But the traces of bleach on the shoes could mean that the trainers were bleached at the same time the knife left in Kelly's leg was.

Neal: Which would point the finger at Kelly.

Anna: We can't talk to her until she's been properly treated.

Rachel: Right. We have detained her under the Mental Health Act, so at least she's off the streets for now. I'm thinking, we should flag up a photo of Kelly to Missing Persons. See if it hits anything in their database. (Looks to Pete) Alright, moving on. DaddyBigCox, tell me more.

Pete: That's what your Mum said. (There's choked laughter and then the room goes silent. Rachel's face is still but her eyes are filled with fury and everyone apart from Pete and Janet are terrified.)

Rachel: (clears her throat and leans forward. She speaks slowly and softly) Pete, did you just make a sexually inappropriate joke about your BOSS' deceased mother?

Pete: (smirks) It's not a secret to anyone Rachel.

Rachel: (taps her knuckle on the table. Her eyes quickly dart around the room, as she registers that everyone does know. She looks back to Pete's challenging grin and nods.) You're sacked.

Pete: (laughs) What?

Rachel: You. Are. Sacked.

Pete: You can't-

Rachel: I can, and I have. Get up. Get your things and go. Lee you'll take over for where Pete left off with his inquiries.

Lee: Rachel, he-

Pete: I retire next month.

Rachel: No, Pete. You don't, because you're sacked, now.

Pete: If you do that, I won't get my-

Rachel: We've got a lot of work still here to do, Pete, so if you wouldn't mind clearing off quickly and quietly so we can get back to it.

Pete: C'mon Rachel it was a joke.

Rachel: It wasn't funny and I don't know on what planet you thought it might be appropriate, but I know for a fact you wouldn't've dared pull that shit with Gill and I'm not having it either. I'll need your badge. (She puts her hand out.)

Pete: You can't-

Rachel: If you're not out of here in, 45 minutes, and that's me being generous, then I'll have an officer escort you off of the property.

Pete: (stands abruptly and points angrily) You're a stuck-up fucking bitch, Rachel Bailey. (Rachel nods and writes this down.) You're no one's favorite person. I tried to warn ya, but you don't take advice do ya? You never stopped being a high and mighty wanker who throws her weight about.

Rachel: (calmly) Anything else you'd like to go in the report for why your employment has been terminated?

Pete: Yes! Fuck you. (He flicks her off and then spits in her direction. There are gasps of shock. Rachel stands and Janet quickly stands between them)

Janet: Lee, get him out of here.

Lee: Pete, c'mon. (He puts a hand on Pete pushing him in the direction of the door. Pete lets out a grunt of frustration before storming out of the briefing room. There's a thick tense silence in the room as if everyone else were holding their breath. Rachel takes in a deep breath and then begins towards the door.)

Janet: Rach?

Rachel: (stops still and turns to address the room.) I do not want to be here all night. I want you lot to be ready. When I get back we're doing the fast version of this. Essential details only. (She begins to the door again)

Janet: Rachel?

Rachel: You don't have to follow me Janet. (She exits but Janet follows her anyway.)

Janet: Rach?

Rachel: I am not overreacting.

Janet: I just want you to think about this. Think about Pete-

Rachel: (stops and points at Janet, talks quietly through her teeth.) I am thinking Pete. I'm thinking of him in a car park, with me Mum bent over the bonnet.

Janet: Stop.

Rachel: He shouldn't've said that Janet. And in front of everyone? It's fine, I get it, everyone knows every shameful detail of my shitty screwed up past. But it's one thing to have a laugh behind me back but to try to take the piss in front of the team?!

Janet: You know how the guys are. They can all get a bit giggly and inappropriate when it comes to sex stuff. They revert back to 12.

Rachel: I allow for so much more dicking about than Gill ever would have, but that, that is crossing a line.

Janet: I know. I agree. But-

Rachel: Here we go.

Janet: He's spent about as many years on this job as you have out of nappies. If you sack him, his benefits will-

Rachel: I know. (She walks quickly away from Janet to where Pete is standing red-faced at his desk being comforted by Lee. Rachel can't be sure if he's red from crying or anger. Probably both.) Pete and Janet, 5 minutes, my office.

Pete: Haven't you done enough? (His voice cracks and for a second Rachel pauses noting the reality of losing everything has suddenly hit him very hard. She didn't like to see men cry. She didn't really like to see anyone cry. Tears made her uncomfortable. As a child, her tears gained her no sympathy, and it baffled her as an adult how easily and guiltlessly people let them flow. She was always embarrassed after she cried, even if it was only in front of Janet. She shakes her head, not feeling sorry for him, and then walks into her office alone. As she clicks around on her computer she can see Janet attempting to calm Pete.)

(5 minutes pass and Pete and Janet enter Rachel's office. Pete takes a seat in front of Rachel's desk and Janet stands. Everyone is quiet while Rachel looks between Pete's now remorseful face and Janet's pout of premature disapproval. Rachel flicks a few papers over to Pete's side of the desk.)

Rachel: I don't want to see you, in the office, ever again, starting today. (Pete looks over the papers.) I'm suspending you. (Rachel resists looking at Janet who she can tell just by her shift in posture is pleased with Rachel's decision. What Janet thinks shouldn't matter to her, she's the boss.) The suspension is for two weeks for lewd comments and sexual harassment. Two weeks brings you just about to your retire date. But I don't want you back here, so take the rest as personal time. (She clicks a pen and tosses it over to him.) You may be a trashy, irrelevant knob-head, but you were a good copper. So- (She shrugs)

Pete: (Smiles and nods) Thank you Rachel.

Rachel: Yeah. (She looks him over with disgust.) You've got about 30 minutes left, to get all your things. (Pete nods and quickly signs the papers. Janet, as a witnessing supervisor, also signs. Pete stands and puts out his hand to shake Rachel's. She looks at it and shakes her head no. She laughs betraying her outrage.) You just spit at me. You disrespected me in front of our entire team, and spoke to me in a way we're not even supposed to speak to the psychos and perverts we lock up, and you think I want to shake your hand? No chance.

Pete: It's good to know there is a heart in there after all.

Rachel: I'd go now if I were you. Before I change my mind. (Pete's face flashes a moment of stubborn challenge but he decides against it. He stands and leaves Rachel's office. Janet waits until he's walked far enough away and gently touches Rachel's shoulder.) He's an idiot.

Janet: Yeah.

(Later, Janet and Rachel sit in a booth at a pub.)

Janet: So, he's coming here?

Rachel: Yeah. He's taken the train, two hours from London to here. Because quote unquote I'm worth the travel.

Janet: Isn't that romantic?

Rachel: Isn't it? The poor sad sap.

Janet: Be nice to this one Rachel.

Rachel: Yeah, well, it isn't about me, so I've gotta.

Janet: You don't know, he seems pretty keen. I reckon he still fancies ya. (Rachel laughs and nods.) You could have it all, the job, Mum, Dad, baby. Happy families.

Rachel: I quite like it how it is.

Janet: Keep your mind open.

Rachel: You're starting to sound like our Allison.

Janet: We just want to see you settled and happy.

Rachel: I am happy.

Janet: Are ya?

Rachel: Yeah.

Janet: Alright. Whatever you say. (They both chuckle and sip their drinks.)

Rachel: He's here. (Janet turns and sees Spencer, the handsome man from the zoo. He is looking around and finally his eyes settle on Rachel who waves. He makes his way through the crowded pub and when he stops in front of the table, Janet stands. Rachel seems surprised by Janet's standing.)

Spencer: Hello Ladies.

Janet: Hello. Nice to see you again.

Rachel: Uh, where d'you think you're going?

Janet: I've got someone waiting for me back at my house. So, I thought I'd leave you to it.

Rachel: I haven't forgotten.

Janet: Except you do, keep forgetting. (Smiles smugly.) Ta-ra.

Rachel: Goodnight.

Spencer: Goodnight.

Janet: Good luck. (She walks away humming loudly Hall Oates) Oooh, here she comes. (Rachel flicks off Janet who exits the pub laughing. Spencer takes a seat in front of Rachel.)

Spencer: What is that song? (He hums it to himself.)

Rachel: Doesn't matter.

Spencer: Ohh, here she comes...she's a maneater. (Rachel blushes and sips her drink.) You are aren't you?

Rachel: I'm not.

Spencer: Had a whirlwind couple of flings in London, broke a few hearts, then came back here like it was nobody's business.

Rachel: I hope you're not sour. From what I remember, we had an alright time.

Spencer: Just alright?

Rachel: Yeah. I mean, if I'm honest. I've had better.

Spencer: Wow, I just travelled all this way to be insulted.

Rachel: No. I - I'm just very honest is all which is why I never text ya. I didn't want you to think it was something, when it wasn't. We had fun, that was it.

Spencer: So, why have you text me now?

Rachel: I dunno.

Spencer: Maybe you want to have some more fun? (Rachel taps her middle finger on her glass before taking a sip.)

Rachel: Maybe.

(Later, Rachel's front door flies open and Rachel and Spencer enter groping each other and unwilling to separate their mouths for the time it takes to enter. Their breath is heavy with lust and Rachel manages to close the door while still entangled in Spencer's arms. He presses her against the door, kissing her and lifting her by the thighs pinning her between the wood and his body. He moves his pelvis in a humping motion and Rachel moans, frustrated and ready for the real thing. It's been too long.)

Rachel: This way. (She takes his hand and smiles leading him to the bedroom. She doesn't turn on the lights but spins around and lifts her shirt revealing a black bra. He moves toward her, and his lips immediately bite the meat of her chest. She laughs at the unexpected pain and moves his head back up to hers. They continue making out and she very swiftly unbuttons her trousers and lets them drop to the floor. He grips the skin of her thigh and then lifts her, taking only a few steps to lower her onto the bed. Her legs are bent on each side of him and as he kisses her neck and chest she stretches to undo his jeans. She's clearly out of practice and he pulls away smiling at her fiendishly and then completing the task for her. He only drops his jeans to his knees and then removes himself from his pants. She shimmies her hips removing her knickers and then holds them up to show him. He takes a hold of her hand, pinning it, knickers and all, up above her head. He continues kissing her and for the first time thrusts himself inside of her. She gasps.)

Spencer: When were you going to tell me? (He breathes heavily.)

Rachel: What? (He thrusts into her again)

Spencer: When were you going to tell me about her? (Rachel looks at him confused and then sees his eyes have focused on a picture on the nightstand of Rachel and Charlotte.)

Rachel: (Stutters) I-I-I was going to- (He enters her again.) Stop. (She wriggles slightly and he grips her arms tighter.)

Spencer: You think you can use people and that there will be no consequences? (He enters her.)

Rachel: Spencer. Stop. (She struggles to pull away but he instead speeds up his rhythm)

Spencer: Let's see if you like feeling used. (He continues and she struggles to pull her wrists free, but after a few minutes of him pumping away, and his hold getting tighter each time she makes a sudden move, she realizes there's nothing she can do but wait. He smiles when he feels the tension release in her body and she turns her head away from him.) How do you like it? (She closes her eyes as he continues. After several more minutes, he removes himself from her and groans as he ejaculates onto her stomach.) Wouldn't want to make another one, now would we? (He finally releases his grip on her arms and she holds them up looking at the red marks that will surely be bruises. His weight is suddenly off of her but she lay still, in shock.) You can't just use people Rachel. It doesn't feel good, does it, being on the other side? (His voice feels distant and she manages to sit up. He's pulled up his jeans and looks almost as if nothing had just happened.) You think it's ok, to mess me about, ruin my marriage, and then fuck off to Manchester with my child? A living, breathing, beautiful little girl, and just not even tell me? Do you think that's ok? (His voice is rising and she wipes herself off with the sheets.) I knew, as soon as I saw her at the zoo. She looks just like my Nicholas. And you, didn't even have the decency to-

Rachel: (softly, as if speaking to the bedsheet) I was going to tell you.

Spencer: When? After the drinks at the pub? After you used me again for a shag? After you dropped out of my life for another three years?

Rachel: I... (she shakes her head having a difficult time registering what happened.) I dunno. (She looks up at him and he's furious, his eyes are angry and his body as she just learned is strong. Stronger than hers. Her body aches and she winces. A tear falls down her cheek. Softly.) You have to leave.

Spencer: Doesn't feel good does it? Having a taste of your own medicine. If you're gonna dish it, you've gotta be able to take it Rachel.

Rachel: (tears start streaming from her eyes and she can't seem to control them. Yells) GET OUT!

Spencer: That's fine. We'll talk about... Charlotte, was it? We'll talk about Charlotte tomorrow.

Rachel: Go! (This comes out as both a plea and a demand. Spencer leaves without another word and Rachel sits on her bed for several moments listening to the silence of her house. The sound of distant car doors closing, probably a taxi, snaps her back to reality. She looks back down at the red marks on her arms and then drops into her pillow giving way to sobs.)


	9. Scene 9 - Scott & Bailey 2019

(Early Morning, MIT office. Anna enters and turns on a few lights. She drops her things at her desk and notices that a light in Rachel's office is on. She enters with a smile, expecting to see Rachel at her desk but instead sees an empty desk with open files. Her eyes follow the trail of papers over to the sofa where Rachel is sleeping. She's curled up, knees tucked to her chest, mouth open. Anna smiles both amused and endeared by the sight of this woman she admires, sometimes fears and always fancies, curled up like a harmless kitten. Anna begins closing the blinds to Rachel's office windows. One gets stuck as she does and the sound stirs Rachel.)

Rachel: What are you doing?

Anna: (finishes with the blinds) I'm early. I thought you might like some privacy. Can't let the rest of them see you like that. You'd wake up with a dick drawn on your head. (Rachel laughs and then attempts to shift herself. She grunts, her body is sore from the awkward sleeping arrangement amongst other things.) There's an hour 45 before anyone else turns up. If you wanted to keep resting. You look like you've had a long night.

Rachel: Nothing a brew and a load of undereye can't fix.

Anna: Would you like me to put one on for you?

Rachel: Yeah, you're alright. Cheers.

Anna: No problem boss. (Anna winks and takes the mug from Rachel's messy desk and then exits.)

(Awhile later, Rachel is in the ladies room freshening up. She's applying the concealer when Janet enters.)

Janet: Hello hello. (She parks her handbag on the counter and then leans against it to force Rachel into eye contact.) How'd it go last night? I thought I'd get a text or something. Were you too busy snogging? (Rachel looks out the corner of her eyes at Janet's teasing.) C'mon, how was it?

Rachel: (exhales slowly, looking deep into her own eyes before speaking) Not good.

Janet: Whatcha mean 'not good'?

Rachel: Everything was fine at the pub. He was funny, a bit cheesy. A bit up himself but sometimes I like that. And I was just doing what you said, talk to him, figure him out first before I say anything about Charlie.

Janet: Good. Yeah? (Janet also knew Rachel took forever to say certain things but unlike Allison she didn't have the patience. She twirls her wrist, palm open, encouraging Rachel to speed it up.)

Rachel: He. I. I got ahead of meself and I invited him back for a shag.

Janet: (laughs) And it was bad?

Rachel: He was…(Rachel looks disgusted at the recall. She remembers how trapped she felt. She shakes her head, mouth open, waiting for a word to come out.) He was…

Janet: 'Not good'? (She playfully nudges Rachel's arm.) Aw, bad luck. God does have a sense of humour, eh? (Places a pretend box on the counter in front of Rachel.) "Here you go Rachel Bailey, everything you've ever wanted. Dream job, happy family, handsome bloke…" but the punchline is, he's rubbish in bed.

Rachel: I wish God would stop with the punchlines. They're just starting to feel like punches now.

Janet: Chin up. (She touches Rachel's chin briefly) Maybe he just needs practice. He could get better the more you try. (Another woman enters the loos.) Morning.

Woman: Sargent. Ma'am. (She enters the stall.)

Rachel: How do I look?

Janet: Knackered, but ready.

Rachel: That'll have to do then. (She exits the loos.)

(Some time later. Everyone is actively working. Rachel is standing by the coffee machine and is waved out of her trance by Neal. She walks over to his desk.)

Neal: That was missing persons. No hits on Kelly.

Rachel: Well, she's not just fallen out of the sky, has she? She's cute, she's clean, when she's not worked herself into hysteria, her classmates all say she was bright and clever. She's not the type of kid, that normally just goes missing without someone batting an eye, is she?

Neal: Maybe she is. I mean, she could come from a crap family. Left three months ago, created a new her. New name, new mates, new life.

Rachel: Mm. (she sips her coffee) Living the dream.

Neal: Probably the best bet would be to put a picture of her out into the media. Saying she's not in good health and we're looking for her family, if anyone knows anything.

Rachel: Yeah. (sips her coffee) I guess I'll get on that. (Rachel gets her mobile out. She ignores a text from Spencer and scrolls to find the correct number. She starts back to her office.)

Janet: I'm reaching out to other syndicates, asking about unsolved stabbings going three months back, assuming that knife was used.

Rachel: Good. (it's a voicemail) It's DCI Bailey, I just need approval to go to the press. Cheers. (She hangs up and looks to Janet.) Figures a day like this, (she gestures to her face) I've gotta go on the news.

Janet: You look fine.

Rachel: Have you got that lippy that I like? The plumb colored one.

Janet: Yeah, I reckon it's in me car.

Rachel: D'you mind getting it?

Janet: Course. (Rachel's phone rings.)

Rachel: DCI Bailey? Yes. (She walks back into her office. Janet walks down the stairs and goes to the car park. She retrieves the lipstick and starts back to the building. She stops when she sees Anna standing in the alley alone, where Janet and Rachel would take their coffee and smoke breaks. Janet walks over to Anna.)

Janet: Alright Anna?

Anna: Yes. Just waiting. It's the worst, innit?

Janet: Forensics?

Anna: Yeah. They're running the blood from the trainers to see if it matches any victims from open cases in other syndicates.

Janet: I started down that track as well. If the knife has been used before, we could have another victim or god willing, a living witness.

Anna: Doctors are saying she's had a dissociative fugue.

Janet: Fugue?

Anna: It's brought on by extreme trauma or frontal lobe damage. She's not having us on, she genuinely doesn't know who she is. Can you imagine that? Waking up one day and having no idea who you are, or where you are, or what you've done? She's being treated, meds, psychologist, and we'll be able to talk to her soon.

Janet: That's good.

Anna: It just seems too, planned to be as mad as she is.

Janet: The bleach, covering up with her own injuries, it does. Maybe we'll get answers when you get to have a crack at her.

Anna: I hope so. (Janet goes back into the building and begins up the stairs. She is preceded by footsteps and speeds up to see who it is. The feet stop, also curious, and when she turns the corner Janet comes face to face with Spencer. He smiles and he's holding a small bunch of flowers.)

Janet: Oh no. You've got it bad. (Spencer laughs shyly and looks down at the flowers. Janet notes he has a nice smile.) She's going to hate those.

Spencer: Is she?

Janet: Yeah, they'll end up right in the bin if you try to give them to her in front of everyone.

Spencer: Not a huge fan of romance, is she?

Janet: Not on a good day. Hide those.

Spencer: How? (He tucks them in his tee shirt causing a large awkward bulge.)

Janet: Right. I'll make sure she's in her office, alone. So that you can pop in and give them to her. Otherwise, you'll be out on your ear in two seconds flat.

Spencer: Thank you Janet. Any insider information is helpful. (They continue up the stairs and enter the office of MIT. The tall handsome man gets looks from the few people in the office.)

Janet: Wait here. (Janet knocks and walks into Rachel's office. She holds out the lipstick and Rachel takes it.)

Rachel: Cheers Janet.

Janet: Put it on.

Rachel: I don't have to be on camera for another hour.

Janet: That's alright, just make sure it's the one you like.

Rachel: (opens the tube) It is.

Janet: C'mon, put it on.

Rachel: (laughs) No, why? (She closes the tube and places it down on her desk.)

Janet: Alright fine. But don't say, I never tried to help ya.

Rachel: Ok. (Janet walks out of the office, closing the door only slightly. She tilts her head in the direction of Rachel's door indicating to Spencer that it's ok for him to enter. Spencer walks passed Janet.)

Spencer: Thanks.

Janet: Don't count your chickens. (He enters Rachel's office and closes the door. Rachel takes in a deep breath when she sees who it is and holds it. Her eyes scan the windows with the closed blinds. He can see the panic on her face and quickly removes the flowers from his shirt. She stares at them baffled and then looks back to him.)

Rachel: What're you doing? How did you get here?

Spencer: I'm MET. They badged me in when I said I was here to see you. It was easy.

Rachel: What, what, what do you want?

Spencer: (holds the flowers out to her. She shakes her head. He steps forward and she quickly takes them off him. He smiles.) I just came to apologize.

Rachel: And you thought, a ratty bunch of flowers were going to erase what you've done?

Spencer: I was hoping it'd get you talking.

Rachel: You-what you did-

Spencer: Listen, I- I was angry. I shouldn't've expressed it, the way that I did, but to be honest I wasn't expecting to. It's not like me. I'd normally never do something like that. I wanted to have a good time with you. It was going great, weren't it? We were having a good time. You were gagging for it. (She blushes and drops her head shamefully.)

Rachel: I said 'no'.

Spencer: Yeah, we'd already started. I saw that photo and it all hit me at once. I never set out to hurt ya and that's why I wanted to apologize.

Rachel: Apology, rejected. (She drops the flowers in the bin) Now, I need you to go.

Spencer: (annoyed) You're so full of yourself.

Rachel: What?

Spencer: I'm apologizing! I'm making an effort. I've come all this way. And you're going to hold it against me, that I got a bit upset? You (he points at her but then calms himself down.) What you did is so much worse.

Rachel: What you did is a crime.

Spencer: Imagine, imagine Charlotte, her first steps, her first words, her favorite color, what her hair looks like in the morning, her favorite cereal. You've robbed me of all that. I don't, I don't even know what her middle name is. You did that. You kept her from me. How is that not a crime? (Rachel looks at the picture of Charlotte on her desk. Spencer kneels.) I let my emotions get the best of me. That's all I'm guilty of. Think about how you would react. What would you do, if you were me, and I had kept her from you for all these years? I was angry. I'm not like that. You can ask anyone who knows me. Ask my ex-wife. 10 years with her, I never hurt her. You just brought something out of me. I'm not a bad guy. I'm a protector. No one messes with my family. And that's what you'd done. You'd messed with it. Charlotte, my wife.

Rachel: Hey, I didn't know you were married. Your marriage splitting up, that's on you being a cheating bastard. Not on me.

Spencer: I asked for discretion but you treated London like it was a holiday. Like nothing you did mattered. Like it was your playhouse and everyone there ceased to exist once you'd gone. But we didn't. I didn't.

Rachel: I. (She clears her throat) I didn't tell you about her because I forgot your name. And because-

Spencer: You weren't sure if she were mine. (Rachel nods) It wasn't a secret. I knew I wasn't the only one your were getting your jollies from.

Rachel: I was working me way up to telling ya.

Spencer: When? Ya know, I saw her at the zoo, and I thought it. She's a tiny little thing, n't she? I thought, nah, wrong age.

Rachel: She was premature.

Spencer: When you text me, asked me to meet up, I knew I wasn't wrong. I thought you'd mention her at the pub but you didn't. I thought instead of being worked up, I'd give you time to do the right thing. I thought, well maybe she's got her reasons. You interrogated me, like I'm a suspect of yours, then drive us to yours, like I wouldn't notice the carseat in the back, or the tiny shoes by the door, or the picture by the bed. And I had you there, and you were looking up at me, and I just- it was obvious you'd never given me a second thought. You wanted me for one thing and one thing only. And I gave it to ya.

Rachel: I didn't want it. Not like that.

Spencer: No, well. We've both made mistakes haven't we? And one of us, has apologized. (Rachel bites her plaster and looks at Charlotte's picture again. Spencer smiles at it and then looks back to Rachel.) When can I see her? I'd like to meet her, properly.

Rachel: I um...I don't know. I-(She swivels in her chair feeling like her world has spun off axis and struggling again to make sense of it all.) Let me think on it. I want to do what's right by her.

Spencer: Good. Good. (He stands and nods, he puts his hands in his pockets and Rachel is annoyed by his confident stance.)

Rachel: But I'm her mum and when...IF this happens, it's going to be on my terms. Understood?

Spencer: Yeah.

Rachel: Now, I need you to go.

Spencer: Alright.

Rachel: But if you show up here, ever again, or pester me, it's NOT going to happen, ever.

Spencer: I won't, if you start treating me decently. If you let me know and really mean that you're going to work out a time with me.

Rachel: I will.

Spencer: Good. Because if you don't ring me, remember, I know where you live. (He exits her office.) Door open or closed?

Rachel: Closed.

Spencer: Talk to you soon, eh? (He winks and then closes the door. He walks passed Janet's desk and she waves.)

Janet: Bye now.

Spencer: Bye.

Anna: (leans forward and whispers) Who is that? Has she got a new?

Janet: Never you mind. (She then gets up and swans over to Rachel's door. She knocks and then opens it with a smile. Rachel is bent over, her back to the door, retching into her bin basket. Her vomit pours onto the flowers and smells of coffee. Janet quickly closes the office door and hurries to Rachel's side.) What's the matter? Are you alright? (Rachel looks over her shoulder making sure the door is closed before she attempts to speak.) Rach?

Rachel: I need a discreet way of letting everyone know that that man is not allowed in this building unless he's on official police business. How can I do that?

Janet: Why? What's going on? I'm missing something.

Rachel: I told you, it was bad.

Janet: Yeah.

Rachel: He found out about Charlotte.

Janet: Found out?

Rachel: Last night. I hadn't told him but he worked it out on his own when I brought him back to mine. I don't know what I was thinking bringing him back there. No, I do. I do know what I was thinking. I just thought, he was as horny as me and that he wouldn't notice. She weren't there but he worked it out. Right as we were, about to…(Her eyes fill with tears and her lip quivers. Janet tilts her head and does her best to control her sympathy. Rachel chokes back the tears.) The penny dropped, right when...and there I was, on my back, arms pinned up-

Janet: Rachel, what are you saying?

Rachel: (a few tears fall and she wipes them away before steadying her voice and speaking strongly) It's my fault. It was my fault. I know, I've worked in sex crimes and I know you're not meant to say that but. I put myself in a vulnerable position.

Janet: Are you trying to tell me he- (Rachel nods.) He raped you? (Janet doesn't like the sound of the word and she doesn't like the use of it here in regards to Rachel. Things like this shouldn't happen to them. They're the ones that stop it happening to other people.)

Rachel: I told him to stop and he wouldn't. He said, (she bites her lip struggling to hold her emotion back.) He said, "Lets see how you like feeling used." And he just, (shrugs) kept on. (She flicks away an escaping tear.)

Janet: Rachel? (Janet's eyes have filled with tears and this causes Rachel to clam up.) Why didn't you say earlier? I never would've let him-

Rachel: It doesn't matter.

Janet: Doesn't matter?!

Rachel: I wasn't gonna tell ya because it doesn't matter.

Janet: He, you're saying he (she struggles with the word) _raped_ you and that it doesn't matter?! Why are we not arresting him?

Rachel: This is why I wasn't gonna tell ya. You get wound up.

Janet: (raised voice) Wound up? Too right I'm wound up. He's hurt ya! And you're shrugging it off like it's Neal eating your day old yogurt out the fridge? We need to arrest him!

Rachel: (sighs) Don't be daft Janet. We can't arrest him. It's he said, she said. I invited him to my house. I brought him in the bedroom. I pulled me own knickers down. I put myself in a compromising situation.

Janet: You told him to stop- he should have- Have you washed? Have you evidence?

Rachel: (rolls up her sleeve to show Janet the bruises on her arm) It doesn't matter. All my dirty laundry proves is that sex happened. Whether it was consensual or not is hearsay. I'm not going to go to court and dribble about it in front of everyone. It'd be in the news. No chance. I'd never live it down. And anyway, whose a more reliable witness?

Janet: You're a DCI.

Rachel: I'm a shag bandit. Nick, Will, Sean. There's still plenty of people outside that door who can remember my ex husband, who I'd only been married to for 5 minutes, coming to knock Kevin's lights out. Who was only one of the two blokes I'd had an affair with. And Spencer, he said he and his mates down there talk. They know I put it about. I don't care. I like sex. People know that. So, what? But stand me by him, in a court, who would you believe? Some desperate slag with some last minute regrets? Or a MET Detective Constable, who was faithfully married for 10 years until I came along?

Janet: Rachel-

Rachel: No Janet. I've thought about it. I've thought about it all night and there's nothing that can be done about it, except for me to get over it. That's what I intend to do. I just, I can't have him, coming in here with flowers, uninvited. This is my space. (She looks in the bin at the vomit soaked flowers.) I need to clear this out before it stinks up the office. (She stands, ready for action but Janet puts a hand on her shoulder.)

Janet: (Softly) You are not a slag. (She looks into Rachel's dark eyes. She can see the hurt but also the determination.) It was not your fault.

Rachel: (sadly smiles) I can't count how many sad twats I've said that to. (There's a knock at the door.) Yeah? (the door opens and Anna smiles at them. She gets a quick whiff of the vomit but doesn't say anything.)

Anna: I just got a call. The blood on the trainers, belonged to a stabbing victim, deceased three months ago, a young girl. Unidentified. Thought to be a vagrant.

Rachel: Great, another victim and another unidentified girl.

Anna: But there's more! (She's beaming ear to ear and Rachel lets out a short laugh amused. Anna's enthusiasm ranged from annoying to amusing. Today it was welcomed. Rachel needed the unending optimism.)

Rachel: Go on, spit it out.

Anna: The blood is a familial match to our Kelly. Kelly, whoever she is.

Rachel: Familial? So, this dead girl.

Anna: Her sister!

Rachel: Two missing daughters, and not a single missing persons report? Some people really are scum.

Anna: I know! (She almost squeals with excitement.)

Rachel: (looks to Janet) We need to know everything we can about the investigation into the dead sister. Who they spoke to. If there were any CCTV of the crime. Everything.

Janet: (sighs and closes her eyes for a moment. Realizing getting Rachel to face what happened was going to be a struggle. She wasn't sure how she was so good at switching her feelings on and off. Sometimes she thought if Rachel hadn't been a cop maybe she'd be a psychopath.) Got it boss.

Rachel: Good. Excuse me. I've gotta fix my face for the telly. (She pushes passed with her bin basket in hand.)


	10. Scene 10 - Scott & Bailey 2019

(That night. Rachel's house. Rachel and Charlotte sit on the floor with blocks. Janet is in the kitchen cooking. Janet insisted on coming over and Rachel knew it was because she cared about her and Charlotte and their safety. Rachel welcomed the distraction. She wasn't afraid to be alone in her home, even when the serial killer from the "Taking out the trash" website was on the loose and stalking and indirectly threatening her, she wasn't afraid to be alone. If she was honest with herself, which she rarely was, she most afraid of silence. She was afraid of how quiet the house would be and how loud her thoughts would be. Janet offered to cook them tea and Rachel agreed. Janet never forced her to talk not like Allison. And even though she was giving her pathetic stares all day, Rachel didn't feel that the offer was a threat of "talking about it." Since the moment they got in, everything has gone as normal and that's just what Rachel wanted. The block tower her and Charlie are working on falls over and Charlie gives it only a seconds glance.)

Rachel: Oh no, all that hard work. (Charlie's eyes are fixed on the tv. It's muted but Rachel has appeared on the news, it's a replay of her speaking to press and a photo of Kelly is on the screen beside her with a number to call if anyone has any information.)

Charlotte: Nan! Nan!

Janet: Yeah? (Her voice sounds from the kitchen around the corner.)

Charlotte: Mummy's on the telly.

Janet: Oh yeah? (Janet comes from the kitchen to see what Charlotte is talking about.) So she is.

Charlotte: Yeah, somebody's got dead, Nan.

Janet: Oh? (Janet's eyebrows raise and Rachel laughs taking a sip of her wine before switching the channel.)

Rachel: What d'you know about dead? What does that even mean to ya?

Charlotte: You know, like…(Charlotte's brown eyes roll as if annoyed she has to explain this.) Splat.(Charlotte tosses herself onto the floor and sprawls herself out like a dead body. Rachel covers her mouth and laughs both amused and mortified.)

Rachel: Oh god, that's awful.

Charlotte: Like in your grown-up bedtime story. (Charlotte sits back up and smiles proud of her acting skills.)

Rachel: (pinches her daughter's cheeks forcing her tiny lips into a pucker and then kisses them.) You are too smart for your own good you little bug.

Janet: Go on now Charlotte and wash your hands. Tea's about done. (Charlotte jumps up and rushes out of the room. Rachel shakes her head still amused.) Splat?

Rachel: I don't know where she got that from. But, I always try to read her a story before bed. Because, ya know, it's what you do.

Janet: Yeah.

Rachel: And don't bother saying anything because I know she's big enough at this age and that she should be sleeping in her own bed, but I work alot, so I never say no when she asks. (Janet nods. She remembers the same maternal guilt when hers were small.) Sometimes, I've got files here with me, and one night, we'd already done her story and I thought she were asleep, but she perked up and asked me what I was reading. I told her it was a grown-up bedtime story.

Janet: I can't believe I have to say this, but, children should not see crime scene photos.

Rachel: Ha, yes, Janet. I know. I've not deliberately shown them to her, have I? (Janet rolls her eyes.) It smells good.

Janet: Ta. I'm going to go dish it out.

Rachel: I'm going to grab Charlie. She's playing in the water no doubt. (She gets up from the floor and places her mostly finished wine glass down. She watches the back of Janet as she walks towards the kitchen.) Janet?

Janet: (stops) Yeah?

Rachel: Thanks for doing this. (Janet nods and quickly turns the corner stepping out of sight. She didn't know what to say to Rachel. Rachel only ever outwardly expressed anger and hid almost all of her other emotions. This may be the closest they would come to acknowledging the issue tonight and she wasn't going to push her. She didn't push, that didn't work with Rachel, and that's why Rachel trusts her. Janet couldn't help herself though. Over the years they've grown to love each other like family, although this was mostly unspoken, it was hard for Janet to hold back her tears at work today. Every time she saw Rachel going about the day and bottling it up, Janet felt like she might cry or yell. It pained her to think someone had hurt her and that she was right, nothing could be done about it. She knew Rachel didn't really know how to ask for help. She was so used to fending for herself, ever since she was a child, that even a cuddle was something foreign to her. Janet planned on hugging her at some point tonight. She knew she had to wait for the right moment, otherwise it would be ill received. She also planned on staying the night. Rachel didn't know this yet, but she didn't want Rachel to be alone in the house. She knew she went to the office after she was attacked because apart from Charlotte all she has is work, and work now is the only place she felt safe.)

Rachel: (walks into the bathrooom where Charlotte is standing on a step stool washing up to her arms with hand soap.) What're you doing in here?

Charlotte: Washing up.

Rachel: Up to your elbows?

Charlotte: Yeah.

Rachel: Are you about to perform surgery or eat macaroni? (Charlie giggles at this and Rachel leans over helping her little one to wash the excess soap off of her arms. She remembers how tiny Charlotte was when she was born. She spent months in hospital and Rachel lost all of her baby weight strictly from the worry. She only carried Charlotte for six months and when she started having contractions she was terrified she was miscarrying again. Janet was the person she called.) There. That's good. (She turns the water off and Charlotte hops down from her steps.) You hungry for tea?

Charlotte: Yay yay yay. (Charlie runs out of the bathroom)

Rachel: Slow down. (She follows the baby through to the small kitchen table where Janet has placed three plates of food.)

Janet: (Tilts the corked bottle of red wine.) Top up Mummy?

Rachel: No tah. That's two glasses.

Janet: Oh how times have changed. I can't remember the last time I had to hold your hair back for ya.

Rachel: I don't want her to ever remember me like that. (Janet nods proudly at Rachel's growth and then pours herself another glass. Having enough to keep her wits about her but at the same time convince Rachel that she probably shouldn't drive was her strategy to stay.)

Janet: This is you here Charlie. (She pulls out a chair and Charlotte quickly climbs into it with her flashcards in hand. When the little girl looks over her plate she claps her hands and runs her tongue over her lips.)

Charlotte: This is the best!

Rachel: Oiy, don't sound so excited. You act like Mummy never cooks.

Charlotte: You don't Mummy.

Rachel: Wow. (Charlotte takes a large fork full and begins humming as she chews. Both adults take seats beside her and Rachel stares down at her plate.) It looks great Janet. Cheers. (They sit in silence for a few moments, mainly two forks clinking.)

Janet: D'you like it? (Charlotte nods. Rachel for the most part has been biting the plaster on her thumb.) C'mon Mummy. You need to get some food down ya.

Rachel: I know. I feel awful, because you've gone through the effort, but I've not got much of an appetite.

Janet: Try to eat a little bit. (Rachel obeys by taking a mouthful hoping to thwart any suspicion that her inability to stomach anything was linked with her rape.)

Charlotte: (holds up a card) Is this an H?

Janet: No. That's a B.

Charlotte: B. B. B. B. (She fills her mouth with food and continues humming. Janet watches Rachel pushing her food around in her plate.)

Rachel: B as in Bailey. As in your name. As in-

Charlotte: Banana.

Rachel: Yes.

Charlotte: B.

Janet: Try the chicken. (She suggests to Rachel, prompting her to eat more.)

Rachel: (Again she obeys.) Mm, good. Maybe I should get me a wife like you. Hot meals every night. Forget men.

Janet: Bugger them.

Rachel: Whatcha think Charlotte? Would you like another Mummy?

Charlotte: No. I like you.

Rachel: Aw, I quite like you 'n all.

(Later that night, Charlotte is tucked in her own bed. Janet goes to find Rachel, who was meant to be bringing her a blanket, even though they both knew she could drive home if she wanted. She can hear her before she sees her, when she looks into the room, she finds Rachel in a fury savagely tearing the sheets off of her bed. Janet quickly enters but stops a few steps away from her. She can hear she's crying.)

Janet: Rach? (Rachel seems shocked for a moment that someone else is there and then looks at the bed out of the corner of her eye. All her anger she pent up all day had just boiled to the surface.) Let me help. (She steps toward the laundry and as she does Rachel starts to cry.)

Rachel: I was so stupid Janet. I was so careless. I just let him. (She presses her fingers into her temples, struggling to fight back her tears, her face goes red, and tears race down her nose and cheeks in an endless stream.) Like if any women ever was "asking for it" it was me!

Janet: You're talking rubbish. You didn't deserve that.

Rachel: I couldn't stop him- I should have been able to-(She looks at her arms and the bruises) All of his weight, it was just- I tried, but, he was already- I'm so angry.

Janet: You should be.

Rachel: I'm so angry at meself.

Janet: No. No. (She takes another step forward, approaching Rachel cautiously like a hysterical victim/suspect.) It wasn't your fault.

Rachel: I brought him here. (She gestures at the bed.) If I had stopped to think, for a second- But no, it's like he said I was- (She chokes back some tears thinking about it and becomes clearly ashamed.) "gagging for it."

Janet: Not like that you weren't.

Rachel: No. (Her lip quivers and she breaks down. She covers her face with both her hands as she sobs. Janet now seizes her opportunity and swoops in for a hug. Rachel cries like she's never seen Rachel cry. Not at her miscarriage, not when her mother died, not when Charlotte was in hospital. She wasn't going to be able to express this, but it was a reality that hit her after being taken advantage of, that she was, despite all her training, despite her hard exterior, she was indeed vulnerable. Janet holds Rachel's head, petting her dark hair and shushing her like a Mum does. This goes on for a few minutes before Rachel takes in two deep heaving breaths and is able to successfully suppress her sobs. Janet feels Rachel's body tense back up right before she separates herself from the hug. Rachel takes several steps back and avoids eye contact. Janet watches as her friend second by second seems to mentally reconstruct her emotional armor. She wipes at her tears and then stares stoically into the distance. Armor complete.) You need a blanket.

Janet: Rach?

Rachel: I'll grab it. IF you don't mind, just- This all, it needs to go in the wash.

Janet: 'Course.

(The next Morning. Rachel and Charlotte sit at the table eating their cornflakes.)

Charlotte: B for Bailey.

Rachel: (smiles) Yes, good. (She holds up the next card again like evidence.)

Charlotte: C for Charlotte.

Rachel: Brilliant. (Janet enters the room and she looks like she was up all night despite being in a fresh outfit and having her hair pulled back neatly. She probably cried more than Rachel did. Rachel suspects as much, she cried more than Rachel did when her mother died.)

Janet: C for Coffee.

Charlotte: Nan! Hi Nan!

Janet: Good Morning Charlotte. (She kisses the top of Charlotte's head and Rachel smiles warmed by the interaction.)

Rachel: Morning. (She brings the toddler's attention back to the flash card.) What about this?

Charlotte: Um…(She hums the alphabet song) D.

Janet: So, clever!

Rachel: (Holds up another card and Charlotte thinks. She makes a show of thinking now that Janet is around.) C'mon.

Charlotte: F?

Rachel: Close. (There's knocking at the door. Rachel's eyebrows immediately scrunch down.)

Charlotte: Aunt Ali.

Rachel: Probably not. (She looks at her phone both at the time and to see if she's missed any calls or alerts. None.)

Charlotte: But maybe. (The knock comes again, this time louder.)

Janet: (sips her coffee) Someone is eager.

Rachel: Sounds like it. (Rachel stands and makes her way to the hall. Janet smiles and sits with Charlotte but is curious of the persistent knocking. Rachel opens the door and on the other side stands Spencer. He's smiling. He's so tall and muscular that she has a flash of how easily overpowered she felt.) What're you doing showing up here? What did I say about not pestering me?

Spencer: I heard what you said.

Rachel: Yeah, and I've responded to ya. I've even sent you a picture which I didn't have to. And yet, here you are. Unannounced, on me doorstep.

Spencer: I've got to get back to London and I know that you want to figure out how to introduce me to Charlotte.

Rachel: Then why are you here?

Spencer: I want to see her before I go.

Rachel: What? No. (She starts to close the door but he puts his hand on it, blocking it from closing. She puts steady pressure for a moment but doesn't want to make a physical struggle over the door and stops pushing on her side.) This is not on. I'm not okay with this.

Spencer: I just want to see her. I brought her this. (He holds out a small stuffed cat. Rachel is speechless looking at it.) I'm not going to confuse her, or say I'm daddy or anything like that. I just want to see her before I go. Is that so horrible? You've had her for three years. Can I just speak to her for three minutes?

Rachel: Two!

Spencer: Don't be unreasonable Rachel. (He takes a step forward and is close enough to her that she can feel his body heat. This almost immediately triggers her gag reflex and she stifles it. She steps back and he welcomes himself into the house.) It's tidier than the last time.

Rachel: Yeah. (Her thoughts begin racing, and she thinks for a moment about closing the door but doesn't.)

Spencer: Where?

Rachel: Kitchen. This way. (She walks into kitchen.)

Janet: Who was- (She catches a glimpse of Spencer and becomes instantly enraged. Charlotte's playful chatter stops and she stares at the tall smiling man before her.)

Spencer: Oh, hello Janet.

Rachel: (quickly) He just wants to say bye. He's leaving back to London.

Janet: For good?

Spencer: (laughs unsure of Janet's foul mood, having been chummy with her just the day before.) I do live there. I'm sure I'll be back for a visit though.

Janet: Not if you know what's good for you mate.

Rachel: Janet. (Spencer looks back and forth between the two women and reads their silent communication.)

Spencer: There are two sides to every story Janet.

Janet: Don't you dare-

Spencer: I'm not a bad guy.

Charlotte: My Mummy will lock you up! She catches the bad guys.

Spencer: I do too. (Charlotte frowns and looks away from him.) Do you remember me Charlotte? (She doesn't make eye contact and eats her food.) From the zoo? (Charlotte looks at Janet and then her mother, to confirm this version of events, she doesn't understand their moods, but neither of them seem to encourage her to remember, so she continues eating.) I um...I brought you a pressie. (Charlotte finally looks at him. He smiles widely.) There are those beautiful eyes. (he steps forward and Janet stands ready to take action should she need to. Spencer makes a show of non-threateningly holding out the small stuffed cat.) Would you like it?

Charlotte: (looks at the toy suspiciously then Spencer) Bugger off. I hate cats. (Rachel chuckles as this calms the tension she was feeling.)

Spencer: That's not nice Charlotte.

Rachel: Uh, don't correct her. She's my daughter. That's my job and if she hates cats and wants you to bugger off than she's not the only one pal.

Spencer: Right. I'm going to leave this with your mummy in case you want it later. (Charlotte looks away again. Spencer hands Rachel the cat and as she goes to take it, he tugs on it.) We will talk about this. This is not gonna fly. (He lets go of the toy and Rachel takes a small step back attempting to put distance between them but bumps into the wall. She's embarrassed for a moment but quickly recovers her face of stoicism.)

Janet: It's almost time for us to go and it's passed time for you to go.

Spencer: (Cheerfully) See you again soon Charlotte. (Charlotte looks at him confused and then looks back to Janet's strong stance. Spencer begins back into the hallway followed by an eager Rachel, ready to shut the door on him. He points at her.) Respond to my messages. Remember what I said.

Rachel: (annoyed like a child being told off) Yeah alright. Bye. (As soon as he steps out she slams the door harder than she meant to.)


	11. Scene 11 - Scott & Bailey 2019

(MIT Office. Everyone is at their desks and Rachel's parked her backside on Anna's desk. Anna certainly doesn't mind the view but is conflicted by the slight feeling of disrespect. She remembers the first day she met Rachel, how Rachel put her things down like she owned the space and how Anna stood up for herself and how ill received that was. Over time, she learned better than to directly challenge her.)

Rachel: (speaking to the room) Transport is bringing Kelly over to be interviewed by Anna. She's finally lucid enough to speak with us, so hopefully we'll get some answers on who this woman is and how this knife got in her. Janet, you've got an update about the second stabbing victim? Well, first technically.

Janet: (sighs and nods. She puts on her glasses) The blood, as confirmed by forensics was a familial match to Kelly. Her sister. Three going on four months ago, the sister's body was found in an alley by a couple of kids who were planning on graffiting the spot. The body was covered up by bin bags. Everything except her face. The bin bags were almost framing her and similarly to Rita, the stabbing was just as fierce in the face area, if not worse. Unlike Rita though, the autopsy report shows signs of sexual trauma. Anal and vaginal. No fluids and it's suspected that she was brutalized with a foreign object. That, and the way the body was placed, caused the original investigators to think they were looking for a woman.

Neal: So, it could be Kelly who'd done it.

Janet: Maybe.

Neal: But why would you rape your own sister?

Rachel: (snaps) Why does anyone rape anyone? It's power and madness.

Anna: (chimes) And she is mad. Bonkers.

Rachel: Right, so, she could be the one who attacked her sister. But from what I understood from your report Janet, tell me if I'm wrong, some of the trauma may or may not have taken place at the same time as the stabbing?

Janet: Yes, it looks like some of the wounds, splinters in the anus, had been healed over. So, we're looking at a history of prolonged sexual abuse of this girl.

Rachel: (points to no one in particular) The fact that Rita was not interfered with in that way, makes me think, the sexual trauma may have been caused by whoever these scumbags are that didn't report two of their daughters missing. And the stabbing, may or may not, be down to Kelly. Hopefully you'll get some answers from her Anna. Lee, picking up where Pete left off, have you got any new information on our internet pervert?

Lee: Yes. Computers was able to get the IP address, it belongs to a tablet, registered to a Lynne Farkus. I spoke to her and she says she's bought the tablet for her elderly father, who lives in a care home.

Neal: (laughs) Geriatric lothario.

Lee: We haven't spoken to him yet but after speaking with Lynne we found out, he's bed ridden. Which, I'd say would rule him out. That's why he's there. Lynne says she's bought him the tablet so he could "read" his mystery novels on it.

Neal: Little did she know.

Rachel: It's odd, that a man of that age, would even know what a VPN is, don't you think?

Neal: That's sort of ageist.

Lee: Maybe. My mum she's in her 80s she struggles to figure out the sound system on her telly.

Rachel: Could someone else in the care home, have been using the tablet? I'm not ready to rule out this line of inquiry. I'd like you to take someone down there with you. I'll put in a warrant for the tablet for ya. (Rachel looks at her phone and then gets off of the desk.) I'll do that now. (She walks into her office texting. By the time she takes a seat at her desk, Janet has found her way into her office. She stares blankly at Janet waiting for her to speak first.)

Janet: I was thinking, after what happened this morning. (Rachel rolls her eyes, instantly annoyed that the conversation isn't about work. She clicks on her computer avoiding eye contact.) Why not try for a no contact order? Showing up like that is harassment. Showing up at the job. At your house, that's stalking.

Rachel: Janet, I'd really appreciate it, if you let this drop and focused on the job.

Janet: This is an entirely different issue.

Rachel: Is it? I'd like to point you again, to the lack of evidence that any of this is unwarranted. Here. (She opens her phone and scrolls through the texts with Spencer.) Find anything in there that shows any of his actions were unwanted or unwelcome. Try to find a single thing in there that says he's overstepped his bounds.

Janet: Well, he can't just-

Rachel: I've got it under control Janet. Alright?

Janet: Do ya?

Rachel: Yeah.

Janet: Because what I saw this morning, it looked like he was in control. And what I've seen at work, everytime your phone buzzes you jump at it.

Rachel: I have not. We've got an arrangement, not that it's any of your business.

Janet: What's the arrangement? He says "Jump", you say "How High?" (Rachel turns in her chair to face Janet directly and taps her knuckle on her desk, Janet knows this means she's hit a nerve. Unlike the rest in the office, she wasn't afraid of Rachel.) After what he did, I'm not about to sit back and watch him take advantage of ya, just in a different way.

Rachel: Janet, I know you think I can be a bit thick sometimes. But I've thought about this, alright? It'll sort itself out.

Janet: So which is it? You've got it under control? Or it'll sort itself out? You've got to get ahead of this Rach. He's using intimidation tactics. And he's trying to be in Charlotte's life? He's a rapist!

Rachel: So? So what?

Janet: So what?

Rachel: Her Uncle's a murderer, her grandparents were drunks, and her mums a slag. She's really scraping the bottom of the barrel n't she?

Janet: You're not a slag. (Rachel nods. She never would have called herself this in the past, she just had a healthy appetite and never felt guilt or shame about it.) Two out of the three people you mentioned are not in her life because they're dead. But you've not brought her down the prison to meet your brother have ya? No. You need to trust the people in her life. You can't trust him after what's happened, can ya?

Rachel: (clicks her pen a few times and then shrugs) He apologized.

Janet: Apologized?

Rachel: (Snaps) Yes. Are you going to listen or are you just going to parrot everything I say? (Janet bites her lip.) If someone had kept Charlotte from me, if I had missed out on knowing her, she's the best person I've ever met in my life. Sometimes, I wake up and I can't imagine how I lived without her. If he kept her from me and it was the other way 'round?

Janet: You'd rape him?

Rachel: No. Of course not Janet, shut up. (Janet folds her arms.) You're talking shit!

Janet: You're talking shit.

Rachel: If the tables were turned, I'd be livid. I'd be angry.

Janet: You're not trying to tell me, you feel some sort of sympathy for him?

Rachel: Not exactly. But what I'm trying to say is, all these feelings you've got-

Janet: That I've got?

Rachel: Yes, they're no good to anyone. You need to get it out of your head that we can go to anyone about any of this. I shouldn't even have told you for all the trouble you're giving me. I can't take legal action in retaliation for any of it because I reckon he's not the sort that…(She pauses, attempting to find other words but settles on being crude. Smirks) He's not the sort that takes it lying down. (Janet's face is mortified by her phrasing.) Too soon? Look, If I take him to court for... anything, what's to stop him taking me in for visitation? For custody? To claim he's got rights to her? He's a dedicated father to his son. He may, like you said, be able to offer her a proper family. A more flexible schedule. Macaroni. He might have a real support system. Any way you look at it Janet, put on paper, he wins. He's the better choice. So, for now...I've just got to...let it sort itself out. Avoid paper. Be civil.

Janet: Bugger Civil. We need a plan.


	12. Scene 12 - Scott & Bailey 2019

( Janet, Rachel and Lee, sit in a dark room on the other side of a monitor. They watch Anna come into view of the camera and take a seat across from the woman they know as Kelly. She states for the recording who is in the room and makes the official remarks before looking directly at Kelly.)

Anna: (Gently) Hello. Do you remember me? ( Kelly is hunched over and looking at her hands. She looks to the nurse who stands by her side and then to the solicitor that sits on her other side. She shakes her head 'no'.) For the sake of the recording, would you be so kind as to speak your responses? (Kelly takes in a deep breath.)

Kelly: No, I don't remember you.

Anna: My name is Anna. I spoke to you when you were in the hospital. Can you state your name for the recording please?

Kelly: Kelly.

Anna: Kelly, can you tell us your surname?

Kelly: Brown.

Anna: Brown?

Kelly: Yes.

Anna: Not Winslow?

Kelly: No. They um, those are my, the people that I live with.

(Other room)

Rachel: Janet.

Janet: On it.

Rachel: Kelly Brown. Birth records, medical, social media, anything. (Janet leaves the room.)

(Interview)

Anna: (peeks at the camera knowing a hive of activity is happening with this new information and knows she has to focus on the interview before she can join in.) Do you remember why you were in the hospital that day Kelly?

Kelly: (touches her neck) Not really no.

Anna: What is the last thing you remember?

Kelly: (She pushes some loose hair behind her ears and hunches over again) The last thing I remember clearly is waking up in my bed and grabbing my laptop to go to Rita's. There was, yellow tape all over and the coppers they wouldn't let me see her. Then, it all goes fuzzy again, and I remember waking up in hospital being given a pill.

Anna: So you don't recall anything from that day previous at Rita's Cafe?

Kelly: No.

Anna: I'm going to show you a picture that was taken that day Kelly. Alright? It might help you remember. Is that ok?

Kelly: Yes.

Anna: For the record, I am showing Kelly exhibit p4. (She slides a photo onto the table and Kelly shudders at it. It's a photo of the knife in Kelly's leg.)

Kelly: That's my leg! (She starts rocking at the sight of the blood.) That's my knife.

Anna: This is your knife? (Kelly shoves the photo away.)

Kelly: NO! (Kelly screams and becomes tearful.)

Nurse: It's alright Kelly. We're going to take a break.

Anna: Alright. Stopping the tape at -

(Later, everyone is in the briefing room waiting on Rachel and Janet. Rachel stops mid hallway when her phone buzzes. Janet pauses and sees that Rachel's face get red with anger. Janet can't see what she's looking at but Rachel has just received a grainy distant photo of Tasie playing with Charlotte in her garden.)

Janet: What?

Rachel: (Has the phone to her ear.) He just sent a picture. (He answers) What are you playing at?

Spencer: You didn't have to call Rachel I was just asking a question.

Rachel: What are you doing there?

Spencer: I'm not there.

Rachel: You're not?

Janet: Who is where?

Spencer: Is that Janet? Tell her hello for me.

Rachel: Where'd you get that photo then?

Spencer: A mate.

Rachel: A mate?

Spencer: I only want to know is IF that is Tasie Scott.

Rachel: Yes, yes it is. Your mate better not-

Spencer: No one is doing anything Rachel. That's all I wanted to know. I was wondering who my daughter spends her days with.

Rachel: (seething) MY daughter. MINE. Not yours.

Spencer: Shall we do a DNA test, then?

Rachel: You leave her alone. You leave her and Tasie and me alone!

Janet: Tasie?

Spencer: No one's there now Rachel. Like I said, I just wanted to know who my daughter spends her days with.

Janet: What about Tasie?

Rachel: (waves her hand to shoo or calm Janet.) You are seriously taking the piss and I'm not having it! I want to do this the right way, for her, and this, this is NOT the right way. This is not ON. (She hangs up.)

Janet: What about Tasie?

Rachel: Nothing.

Janet: That didn't sound like nothing.

Rachel: He sent a photo. (She shows Janet) I thought he was there, but he's not.

Janet: This is stalking. This is harassment.

Rachel: I'm just going to call Tasie, make sure they're alright. (She already has the phone ringing at her ear as she says this.) Hello Tas?

Tasie: Yeah, hi Rachel. What's up? Is me mum alright? Has something happened?

Rachel: No Tas, she's alright, she's barely shifted her arse from her desk today.

Tasie: Good.

Janet: Oiy.

Rachel: I was just calling to make sure you both are alright.

Tasie: We're good. She's getting a little kip. She were running around in the garden all morning.

Rachel: Yeah, did you notice anything? Anyone, when you were out there?

Tasie: No, why? Should I be worried about something?

Rachel: No, no. Just, her dad. He's trying to meet her. It's a whole thing, I can't get into because I've gotta get to the briefing but, just keep your wits about ya, yeah?

Tasie: Alright.

Rachel: Ok, bye.

Tasie: Ta-ra. (Rachel begins walking again and Janet is visibly displeased. Rachel huffs, annoyed by Janet's overbearing motherly disapproval of the way she's dealing with things and begins walking out of step with her, speeding ahead and not holding the door to the briefing room as she enters first.)


	13. Scene 13 - Scott & Bailey 2019

(The room goes quiet at the thud of the door swinging into Janet. Janet enters the room mildly embarrassed and increasingly more upset with Rachel's childish behavior. It took the tiniest bit of emotional upset to turn Rachel into a badly behaved stroppy teenager. After all these years, Janet still didn't know how to deal with her when she got like this. Shout over her? Allow her to have a fit? What she really wanted to do was give her a slap.)

Lee: You alright Janet?

Rachel: Kelly Brown. (She speaks loudly over Janet's response and seems annoyed by Lee helping Janet with the folders she is carrying. Rachel attempts to ignore them.) Kelly Brown. (Some DC pats Anna on the back and Anna smiles widely.) She is our top suspect and after a few attempts at an interview, we've learned, she's going to be useless to us. After her break, Anna tried to speak to her about the Winslows, and again she went into a panic attack. Full on. Crying, hyperventilating, the lot. Had to be sedated and brought out by NHS. We're still holding her under MHA, and thanks to Anna, we have a somewhat confession that the knife is in fact Kelly's knife.

Anna: She identified her leg and the knife in the photo exhibit p4. She said clearly that it was her knife but when I asked her again for confirmation she became upset and screamed "No". She had to be removed from the room and calmed down by her nurse. It was the first of four breaks, each outburst worse than the last. I wasn't able to get much else out of her.

Rachel: Whenever Janet's ready, she'll tell us what they've found on who we now know to be Kelly Brown.

Janet: (nods and smiles. While it never made anything better, one thing she has learned over the years was the best way to get at Rachel was to not be affected by her. Janet begins passing out packets of paper to everyone in the briefing room.) Raquel "Kelly" Brown, 20, born to a Gemma and Daniel Brown. Daniel, died from undiagnosed stage 4 cancer, shortly after Kelly's sister Alice was born. Making Kelly, 4 when her dad passed. Her mother Gemma, maybe because she was grieving, maybe because she'd been doing them all along, began doing drugs. She started neglecting the girls. At ages 6 and 2, Kelly and Alice were taken into Care. This is where Margaret and Chris Winslow come into play. Gemma continued on a destructive path, lost their home, ended up in council flats, a few domestics on a boyfriend. Margaret and Chris after a year or so, want to move forward with an adoption. This makes Gemma straighten up. She gets clean, or at least tests clean, and the courts rule for re-unification. Her kids are given back to her.

Neal: That's actually the last the Winslows heard of Kelly and Alice, 8 and 3.

Janet: Right. Unfortunately, We don't have much information beyond that. Kelly and Alice were both active on social media up until 4 months ago when both of their accounts went quiet. From the looks of it, Gemma had not actually sorted better living arrangements for these girls and we're thinking Alice's prolonged sexual abuse happened in the home. Tomorrow, I've got a team set up and we'll be visiting Gemma's last known address. Finding her, asking about her daughters, canvassing the neighborhood to see what sort of life they've been living or if anyone remembers anything the day they both disappeared.

Rachel: That's all?

Janet: Yes. For now.

Rachel: Lee. DaddyBigCox69, we're ruling him out officially?

Lee: Yes, we got the tablet. It was in fact being used by a young male member of the Care Home staff. A Gerald Holmes. He however, has an airtight alibi for when Rita was killed in the Cafe.

Rachel: Right. Good. Thank you Lee. Thank you Anna. (Anna squints at Janet, realizing the tension and noticing the obvious snub.) Janet, you've already prepared your strategy for tomorrow, whose paired with who, all that?

Janet: I just sai-

Rachel: Interview strategies. (To everyone) Since we are ruling out Gerald Holmes and the vendor with the boots, they've both got alibis, and focusing in on Kelly. We've really got to paint a clear picture of who she is and why we know it is her that's done it. Sitting in that room with Anna, she looked scared, like she couldn't hurt a mouse. We've gotta prove the opposite. Unfortunately, we can't just keep her locked away because she's mad. Half of you lot would be locked up if that were the case. (This gets a few chuckles) We need a narrative that links her broken home life, Alice's abuse, maybe her own abuse? What caused her to snap? Why did she take it out on her sister's face? And then again snapping and killing Rita. Someone who has been kind to her. We need answers. We need a very clear 'WHY' or no court, no jury, nor our DS will not take it seriously. Understood? (Everyone mutters a reply or nods.) Great. Anyone that Janet's listed here (Rachel looks at the packet of papers) for the canvas team, she's gonna give you the rundown on all things Kelly Brown and what's on tomorrow. Everyone else, back to the office, I want you to jump in to help Lee wrap up his inquiry. Finalize all the paperwork there so we don't have to revisit it and comb through, one last time to make sure it is in fact, a dead end. (She nods looking over everyone and then leaves the room. Several people begin packing up and following.)

(Later, after the briefing, Anna lags behind in the briefing room to help Janet with the tidying and collecting all that she brought in. They're eventually alone after both declining another invitation to the pub.)

Anna: You haven't gone and been right about something have you?

Janet: What?

Anna: Godzuki.

Janet: (chuckles and shakes her head) I wouldn't dare be right about anything. Not to Miss Always Right.

Anna: Why are you in the dog house and I'm in the in house?

Janet: The winds changed? Her knicker elastic's too tight? Who knows Anna? (Anna laughs at this.)

Anna: You always know more than you let on. (Janet twists her lips and mimes a lock.) That's fine. Whatever I can do to help, ya know, get her off ya back. Just tell me.

Janet: Ta Anna.


	14. Scene 14- Scott & Bailey 2019

(Rachel's home. It's nearing midnight and she's in her bed with Charlotte. The lights are all off and Rachel has her arm draped over her little girls body. Its less of an attempt to cuddle and more of an attempt of gentle restraint. Charlotte faces her and both their eyes are closed but neither of them are sleeping because they're fighting a silent bedtime battle. Charlotte juts her leg out landing a knee in her mother's rib.)

Rachel: Stop kicking. (Charlotte grunts and does it again. Rachel, under the covers, catches Charlotte's foot anticipating the next kick. She opens her eyes and looks at Charlotte who is smiling.) Stop.

Charlotte: I'm not sleepy.

Rachel: I am.

Charlotte: You're boring.

Rachel: (sighs) Tasie should've never let you sleep as long as she did.

Charlotte: Play my song.

Rachel: No.

Charlotte: But I need to hear it.

Rachel: You need to close your eyes and let Mummy rest.

Charlotte: I need to! I'll close my eyes if I can hear my song.

Rachel: Bargaining now are we?

Charlotte: Please.

Rachel: (exhales, looking her weakness in her large dark chocolate eyes.) Fine. (Rachel rolls over and grabs her phone. She pauses seeing she received a late text from Tasie. She reads it in her head.)

Tasie: (text)You_ are leaving Charlotte in my care tomorrow as is our usual arrangement_?

Rachel: (replies text) _Yeah. Why has something come up?_

Tasie: (text) _No_. (Charlotte's foot hits Rachel's back and Rachel turns around quickly and points at her sternly. Charlotte loses her smile and averts eye contact. Even through the dark she didn't like her Mummy's cross face. Rachel lowers the brightness on her phone and then selects a song from a playlist named "Charlie's Faves".)

Rachel: Close your eyes. (Charlotte obeys but can't wipe the ear to ear smile from her face. Rachel snuggles up to her and finally presses play on the song.)

Phone: (softly plays the The Turtles) _Imagine me and you, I do / I think about you day and night / Its only right_

_To think about the girl you love / And hold her tight / So happy together._ (Charlotte hums)

Rachel: No humming. Just sleeping.

Charlotte: Ok.

(Next morning. Tasie's house. Charlotte holds the straps of a girly batman backpack. It makes her look even smaller than she naturally is. She skips ahead of Rachel up the walkway and knocks with her fist, barely making a sound.)

Charlotte: (shouts) Police. Open Up. (Rachel laughs at this and is quickly by her daughter's side.)

Rachel: You're a nutter. (Rachel also knocks on the door and the two of them wait. Charlotte takes Rachel's hand as they do.)

Voice: Rachel Bailey? (The voice comes from behind them and Rachel turns around instinctively moving Charlotte behind her. She eyes up the two people and realizes they're police.)

Rachel: DCI Bailey. (She corrects them) Whose asking?

Cop1: Rachel, I'm DC Kent, this is DC Klaus, can you step away from Charlotte please? (Rachel tilts her head familiar with this tone, and approach, which makes her more confused.)

Rachel: No. Why?

Cop1=DC Kent: Rachel Bailey, we're here to arrest you-

Rachel: Arrest me?

DC Kent: -on the suspicion of child endangerment.

Rachel: Child - (laughs) You what?!

DC Kent: You do not have to say anything. (DC Kent steps closer to her.)

Rachel: You're winding me up? Yeah?

DC Kent: But it may harm your defense if you do not mention when questioned something you later rely on in court. (Rachel looks behind her at Charlotte and then at the door that still hasn't opened. She knocks again, harder this time.)

Cop2=DC Klaus: Don't get upset Rachel. You don't want to scare Charlotte. Do you? Can you let Charlotte come with me?

Rachel: Right, you can pack that tone in, right now. I'm not some, some, madwoman. This is, this is mad. Child endangerment? Does she look in danger to you?

DC Kent: If we've got it wrong you can tell us at the station, but right now, I'll need you to listen to DC Klaus. Let Charlotte go to her. (Rachel turns to the door again and bangs on it and as she does she sees Tasie quickly flick the blinds closed. Rachel's stomach sinks and she looks down at her wide eyed little girl who keeps tight grip on Rachel's trousers. DC Klaus has taken a few steps closer. Rachel's heart pounds in her ears as she feels this newly familiar feeling of being trapped.)

Rachel: (picks up Charlotte and hugs her tightly.) We, um, I - Stop. Stop getting closer to me and tell me what this is about.

DC Klaus: We'll talk more about it at the station, alright?

Rachel: (points) You're not taking her off me.

DC Kent: Rachel let-

Rachel: No, have some fucking respect. I will, I will ride with you but she's not, you're absolutely fucking NOT taking her. (Rachel watches as DC. Klaus and DC Kent silently agree with this.)

DC Kent: (Walks over to their patrol car and opens the backseat) Alright then. (Rachel looks out the corner of her eye at DC Klaus daring her to take another step near. She grips Charlotte to her and walks cautiously toward the car. She slides into the backseat and watches as the DC shuts the door. She looks at the cage she's just slid herself into and is genuinely lost. The two officers get into the car and start driving.)

Charlotte: Mummy, what's happening?

Rachel: Shhh. (She kisses Charlotte's head.) It's a mistake. But don't worry, alright? Mummy's gonna sort it. Ok? (Charlotte nods but she still looks worried. She nuzzles into Rachel's neck and Rachel pets her daughter's back to comfort her.)


	15. Scene 15 - Scott & Bailey 2019

(The police car stops in front of the Manchester Police Station. The same place Rachel works. Everything feels surreal. How can this be happening? Her eyes settle on a male officer, big, strong, armed with a baton who is exiting the building.)

Rachel: That's a bit much n't it? Don't have him come over here. He'll scare her.

DCKent: They call you Sherlock don't they? Your team?

Rachel: Yeah.

DCKent: So, why haven't you worked it out, that you are under arrest? We don't take orders from you. You are not our SIO. He's been called in because thus far you've refused to follow orders. If you won't release the child to us, then she'll have to be forcibly removed.

Rachel: Ok. Ok. (She chews her lip, panicking for a moment watching the officer get nearer.) Ok, I will. She'll go with DC Klaus, but he can BACK OFF. Tell him. (There's a pause and the DC uses the radio. The officer stops in his tracks and waits. DC Klaus, a woman who appears to be around Rachel's age but is blonde and shorter, walks to the side of the car to open the door. Rachel pets her daughter's coily curls and then pulls her from the clinging hug they've been entangled in. Charlotte's large eyes dart over to the opened door and then a wide smile spreads across her face. This baffles Rachel whose own heart is pounding in her ears.)

Charlotte: We're at work.

Rachel: (Forces a smile) Yes baby.

Charlotte: Will I get to see Nan?

Rachel: I'm not sure. (Her face is hot, struggling to maintain her composure.)

Charlotte: Maybe. I want to.

Rachel: Listen Charlie. (Charlotte looks to her mother. Rachel touches her long fingers to the sides of her daughter's cheeks and then kisses her.) Listen. You're going to go with Klaus for right now ok? Until Mummy's able to come get you.

Charlotte: Ok.

Rachel: You'll behave for her, yeah?

Charlotte: Yes Mummy.

Rachel: Good girl. Give Mummy cuddles. (They hug and Rachel rocks her daughter despite the impatient glares she's getting from the detectives.) Love you Charlie.

Charlotte: Love you Mummy.

Rachel: (lifts Charlie from her lap and guides her across the seat to the open car door. DC Klaus takes her hand and a single tear slides down Rachel's cheek. She quickly wipes it away before Charlotte turns to wave 'Bye bye') Bye bye. Love you. (DC Klaus closes the door. Rachel hears DC Kent on the radio and as she watches Klaus walk hand in hand with her daughter towards the building, the officer with the baton begins to near the car.) You lot are well out of order. You know that don't ya?

DCKent: Your rank, does not put you above the law. (The car door opens again and the large officer reaches for Rachel to escort her into the building.)

(MIT Office. Neal sits by a window.)

Neal: Here look! It's true. It's bloody true! Look look hurry. (Anna and a few others hurry over to the window catching a brief glimpse of the two male officers escorting Rachel from the car and into the building.) What d'you reckon she's done? I heard she got nicked for murder once.

Anna: (snaps) It was inciting a murder and it was bullocks.

Neal: Oooh my, not easy seeing your hero in handcuffs is it?

Anna: She weren't cuffed you pillock!

Neal: But she is your hero? (There is laughter) Where's Janet? Maybe they went full on Thelma and Louise? (There are a few chuckles and Janet enters the office looking like she's seen a ghost and following closely behind her is the DSI. Janet clears her throat and gains her composure before speaking.)

Janet: Everyone, in the briefing room in 15, please. (Everyone begins packing up and does as they're told.)

(Meanwhile, Rachel is fingerprinted and photographed. It's awkward for the fingerprinter, knowing Rachel from the years of her bringing suspects down there and having to treat her like any other criminal.)

(15 or so minutes later, Briefing Room.)

DSI: I have very bad news. (Everyone is practically on the edge of their seats.) DCI Bailey, has been arrested this morning under suspicion of child endangerment. (A few whispers and chattering.) The evidence they have against her is strong and it's likely she will be charged. We'll know more as the morning progresses. Speaking to the press will result in a disciplinary offence. Should Rachel be given bail, no one should attempt to contact her. Work here will resume as normal. DS Janet Scott will be taking over as Acting SIO until further notice. Does anyone have any questions?

Lee: Is the little one alright?

DSI: Yes, Charlotte Bailey was taken into police custody less than 30 minutes ago and she appears to be unharmed in every way.

Neal: Then how's she endangered?

DSI: Your speculation regarding the case against DCI Bailey is not encouraged. Unless you have any information that may be useful to the investigating officers, assigned to her case, I recommend everyone focus your mental energies on your own work.

(Rachel attempts to pace in a holding cell. Her stride is a little too long for the close proximity of the pale yellow walls. The door opens and a tiny woman of maybe 5'3" skinny and older enters.)

Rachel: Are you my solicitor?

Woman: Yes. My name is Greta Blumberg.

Rachel: Greta, excuse my language, but what the fuck is going on here?

Woman=Greta: May I have a seat? (Rachel looks around the cell as if this question is nonsense. This isn't her space and she could care less if this woman sat or stood on her head. Greta shows her age as she walks slowly over to the nearest place to sit. Rachel waits impatiently, watching Greta pull a folder from her briefcase.)

Rachel: Give it here. (Greta looks at Rachel about to say something but Rachel takes the folder before she can.)

Greta: If you plead that you did not know Tasie Scott is on the sex offender registry when you arranged to leave your child in her care, then you'll only be charged with a misdemeanor.

Rachel: Fucking shit. (The photo sent to her phone of Charlotte in Tasie's garden has been printed as evidence.)

Greta: Did you know that Tasie Scott is registered as a sex offender?

Rachel: She loves Charlotte. She'd never hurt her.

Greta: The trouble is, she's told the police that you did know. That you were fully aware of the ruling in her case three years ago and that despite that, you still chose her as a caretaker for your child. The police have made a deal with her, that if she testifies against you, they won't press charges against her for taking a child into her care.

Rachel: Against me?

Greta: Yes. I recommend that you stick with the story that you were unaware. Otherwise, knowingly leaving your child in the care of a sex offender is a felony offense of child endangerment.

Rachel: Jesus fucking hell. (She slides a hand on top of her head, her dark hair smoothed back tightly into a ponytail for work.) I can't. I can't say I didn't know because I was sat right there in the courtroom holding Janet's hand when they said the verdict.

Greta: Then you're looking at felony charges. 2 to 8 years.

Rachel: What? No. I can't go to prison. You're my solicitor aren't you supposed to have some sort of brilliant plan to prevent that happening?

Greta: You have the folder. You see what they've got there. The text confirming that leaving Charlotte with Tasie was your "usual arrangement". A photo of Tasie and Charlotte playing in the garden. They arrested you knocking on the door of a registered sex offender with the little one in toe.

Rachel: Does she look in danger to you? ( She holds up the photo) Look at her, she's having the time of her life. And Tasie. The only thing I can see on Tasie's face in this photo is love for my girl. She'd never hurt her. She's family. The entire case against Tasie was bullocks. Her being on that list with actual perverts is bullocks.

Greta: Everything you're saying, is opinion. Everything in that folder, is facts.

Rachel: They're married now you know? They were boyfriend and girlfriend. They're starting a family.

Greta: Which is why, no doubt, the threat of prison time frightened Tasie into working with the police.

Rachel: (drops into the seat beside Greta. She stares off into the distance and then looks back down at the folder.) Why would he do this to me?


	16. Scene 16 - Scott & Bailey 2019

(In a car, Anna and Neal are on their way to Gemma, Kelly's mother's, last known home address. They've been driving in silence.)

Neal: Are we alright?

Anna: Sure.

Neal: You're not still mad about the 'hero' joke I made earlier are ya?

(Interrogation. Rachel sits across from the arresting officer DC Kent.)

Rachel: No comment.

(Car)

Neal: Wasn't Pete just joking about having someone check on the kid before he got sacked? Or was that Lee?

(Interrogation)

Rachel: No comment.

(Car)

Neal: I mean, we can't say we're surprised can we? She's not the most, nurturing is she? Like can you imagine her making ya warm milk and rubbing your back?

Anna: Mm, just my back? (Anna raises an eyebrow and they both laugh at the innuendo.) Truly, I think it's unfair to assume that she can't be that way just because she's only ever a bitch at work.

Neal: I suppose. Anyway, this could be great for you. If she goes down and Janet takes her job, then you're practically our new Sargent. And Janet's only got a few more good years in her, I reckon, so that's you in Bailey's spot in no time.

Anna: I wouldn't want a promotion based on a little girl's mum going to prison.

Neal: Yeah well, you heard what they said, the evidence is strong or whatever, so she musta done something.

Anna: I wonder.

(Back in a holding cell. Rachel sits with her elbows on her knees, using her index and thumb to squeeze her other injured thumb. Her plaster was removed during the photographing and she's since chewed the skin around her nail bed raw again. With her fingers on her other hand, she puts pressure on the thumb causing blood to surface. She keeps doing this until the blood has accumulated enough to form a drop. She watches it slide down the side of her hand. As she does this the cell door opens and quickly shuts. She looks up from her preoccupation and sees the back of Janet. Janet turns around and puts her hands out by her side as if to ask "What in the world?" Rachel shrugs, her slouch and posture concern Janet, she looks beaten. Janet quickly takes a knee in front of where Rachel sits, like a mum about to mend a scrape.)

Janet: I can't stay long. I'm not supposed to be here. A friend is turning a blind eye for the moment. (Rachel nods.) The big boss was in, saying speaking to you will be a disciplinary offense.

Rachel: Course.

Janet: I heard this has got to do with Tasie. I'm so sorry Rachel.

Rachel: It's not your fault. You told me to put Charlie in a proper school.

Janet: Yeah, but I also told you to text him.

Rachel: I- (She looks passed Janet at the door.) I don't know where she is. Have you seen her?

Janet: No.

Rachel: She wants to see you. She asked for Nan.

Janet: I'll try.

Rachel: I know she's alright, ya know. She's brave. I bet they'll get Allison to have her. Next of kin. Until he can prove his paternity and then erase me from her life forever.

Janet: What? Why would you say that?

Rachel: They're going to charge me. They're charging me with a felony offense. I could get 2 to 8 years.

Janet: You won't.

Rachel: "Did you know Tasie Scott was a Registered Sex offender? No comment. Is this you, in the picture here with your colleague Janet Scott, in the courtroom on the day of Tasie's verdict? No comment. Did you regularly leave your child in the care of a registered sex offender sometimes overnight? No comment." She's only 3. 2 years time, she won't even remember me. Thats IF I get out. Not only will she not know me, but I'd be lucky to get supervised visitation. And, I'm sat here, thinking how ordinary everything was this morning. When I was fighting with her to stay still while I fixed her hair.

Janet: Stop that. You can't think like that.

Rachel: Before they took her off me, I kissed her and I told her I loved her. And as I watched her walking further and further away from me, I remembered what the last thing my mum ever said to me was.

Janet: What?

Rachel: She said, "You're bloody nothing."

Janet: (Tutts and takes a hold of Rachel's hand.) You can't think like this. They'll drop it surely.

Rachel: Like they did Tasie's case? (Janet looks down and sees the blood on Rachel's hand.)

Janet: What's your solicitor said?

Rachel: She's useless.

Janet: We'll find you another one.

Rachel: They're going to have the bail hearing in a few hours. I've just got to... wait. (She gestures to the walls she's trapped in.)

Janet: This is madness. But you can't get in your head like this. He hasn't won. You're strong, you can get through it and you're smart. With the right solicitor you'll probably be fine.

Rachel: Child endangerment. (Laughs) You know what I got for my 14th birthday? (Janet looks confused by this question. She continues to hold Rachel's hand.) A black eye. (She points with her free hand to her left eye and then smiles shaking her head before explaining.) It was after school, Dom had some of his stupid mates in the house, our Allison was working. I was on the side of the house with Sean. We were making out and he slipped his hand up my skirt for the first time. My Dad, must've had a barney at the pub because he came home early and caught us. He grabbed Sean by the shirt and shoved him into the bins and then punched me right in the face.

Janet: Rachel. (Her voice drips with sympathy and she grips Rachel's hand tighter.)

Rachel: Then he dragged me into the house for the rest of it. Allison made me stay home from school for two days until the swelling went down enough that I could cover it with makeup.

Janet: You never told me.

Rachel: Why would I have? I just, I'm sat here thinking what a joke this is. That was a rather ordinary day in the Bailey household. And yet, I'm nicked for child endangerment, when I won't even cut her nails too short because I'm afraid to hurt her. I buy her fucking "No-tears" Shampoo for god's sake!? (Janet's phone beeps.)

Janet: Listen, I've got to go. No one can know I was here.

Rachel: Right.

Janet: Don't feel alone and don't get too down on yourself. Alright? I won't be able to contact you but I'll be doing everything I can on my side to make sure Charlotte's sorted and to see you through this, alright?

Rachel: Yeah.

Janet: Ok. (Janet stands and looks over Rachel's sullen slouch. Janet abruptly and decidedly hugs Rachel's head. Rachel doesn't quite respond to the embrace so Janet doesn't hold it long. She nods making eye contact with Rachel's dark empty pupils.) Chin up.

Rachel: Kiss her for me. Charlotte.

Janet: Of course.

Rachel: Thank you Janet. (Janet slips out clearly cautious of who might be in the hallway and leaves Rachel alone in the cell to wait.)


	17. Scene 17 - Scott & Bailey 2019

(MIT Office. Anna and Neal have returned and enter Rachel's office where for most of the day Janet has been sitting staring at the photo of Charlotte.)

Anna: We can charge her now.

Janet: Who?

Neal: I wish we could charge the Mum.

Anna: Kelly.

Janet: What did you find out?

Anna: The Mum tried to say all of the abuse was done by her ex. That he raped the girls, both Kelly and Alice and that she didn't know anything about it.

Neal: But she's evil Sarg. I reckon it was her.

Anna: On the way back, I got a call from Kelly's doctor. She's had a breakthrough. Remember they said they thought she had suffered from a dissociative state?

Janet: Yeah.

Anna: It turns out, she's got DID. Dissociative Identity Disorder. The trauma from her childhood caused her to create these different Identities to cope. That's why the day after Rita was murdered, Kelly had no idea. One of Kelly's alters, confessed to a doctor to killing Rita. She found out about Rita's secret chat site and my theory is, that challenged her view of Rita as the wholesome Granny she always wanted. The idea of her being sexual, and the sexual trauma, must've triggered one of Kelly's alters into attacking her.

Janet: Blimey.

Neal: And the stabbing in the face, that's another reason, I reckon the mother was the abuser, because when we met her she's actually got a big scar going along her face. Says it happened when she were little. In a car accident.

Janet: Is there anyway we can get a signed confession? Or have her on tape?

Anna: The doctors, with this new diagnosis are trying new forms of treatment so it might be a few days before we've got a lucid suspect again. I will ask about the written statement.

Janet: Right. Sherlock thought it was her from the beginning.

Anna: She did.

(Late that night, Janet lay on her sofa wrapped in the arms of her new beau. He's handsome, silver haired and age appropriate. He's dressed in trousers and a dress shirt. Her face rests on his chest and she stares blankly at the changing colors on the television screen. He rubs her arm in a comforting manner. After everything that's been going on with Rachel, Janet really needed him. He let her vent and cry and he held her and lied to her, telling her everything was going to be ok.)

New Beau: It's going to look good, isn't it? You solving this murder case as soon as it's handed over to you.

Janet: I can't even think about it. I just keep thinking of Charlotte.

New Beau: I mean, must be record timing, getting on a case and solving it in a few hours?

Janet: We didn't do anything spectacular. We followed the lines of inquiry Rachel had told us to the day before. I can't take the credit.

New Beau: Is it something that you would want?

Janet: What, credit?

New Beau: Rachel's job.

Janet: No. Rachel's going to have Rachel's job. I can't. I can't even think about that possibility right now.

New Beau: I know you're worried about her.

Janet: She's done nothing wrong.

New Beau: Except, not tell him he had a daughter. (Janet sits up a little to make eye contact with him. ) What? I imagine even if the list of men she slept with in London was a mile long, what being in the rank she's in, if she contacted the head of that department, she could've found out his name. If she had wanted to do the right thing. She could have. (Janet removes herself from his cuddle.) I'm just saying, I don't think she deserves jail time but I understand it from his side too.

Janet: From his side?

New Beau: Think about it. If someone didn't tell me that I had a kid, just because they couldn't be arsed to look me up, and then invites me back for a shag after only a drink, I'm wondering, what kinda mum she's got. What kinda mum just brings strangers into the house like that and how has my little girl been living? Then, not knowing Tasie, and how wonderful she is, but having the resources to know she's on a list. He probably thinks he's doing the right thing, getting that baby away from her.

Janet: No, all of this could have been sorted with a civil conversation. He's being a bully. He could ruin her.

New Beau: I know you don't like to hear it, but men also have a paternal instinct and maybe he's over reacted but you can't blame him with the impression she gave him.

(Meanwhile, it's dark in Rachel's house. She's home and passed out on the couch. An empty wine bottle and a half is on the cluttered coffee table. She was given bail until the trial. She sleeps fully clothed with her daughter's blanket curled under her head.)

(2 weeks later. MIT office. Janet is settled into Rachel's office, it's considerably tidier but she hasn't removed the photo of Charlotte from the desk. It was the only personal item, apart from the chocolates hidden in the desk, that Rachel had in the office. There's cheerful commotion outside the office which peeks her attention. Janet exits the office and hears a familiar voice in the middle of the crowd that has formed. People step aside without her having to pardon herself.)

Janet: Pete? What?

Pete: Ding dong the witch is dead! (He chuckles.) Thought I'd work out my last week now that suspension from Godzuki is finished. Or if ya need me, I'll stay on. I haven't got to retire. Just couldn't stand much more of that high and mighty bitch.

Janet: I've got a few candidates for the job.

Pete: Good, good.

Janet: One is Sammy.

Pete: Really?! That's nice. It shoulda always been you in that position, Janet. Karma has a way of catching up to people.

Janet: So, I'll only need you for the week.

Pete: The role suits you Janet. (Janet nods and smiles. It was a job she always wanted but her circumstances never really allowed her to pursue the job as passionately as Rachel.)

Janet: Lee and Anna, I want you to get Pete up to speed on our newest.

Anna: Yes ma'am.

(Janet returns to her office and sees that she's got a missed call. She shuts her office door and returns the call.)

Allison: Janet.

Janet: Yes, hello?

Allison: It's Allison.

Janet: Oh right. Hiya. (Janet wells up at the sound of Charlotte saying "Nan! Hi Nan." In the background.) Tell her Nan says "hi".

Allison: I will. I just stepped outside because I don't want her to hear.

Janet: Is everything alright?

Allison: Did Rachel ever mention to you that she knew who the dad was?

Janet: Oh, well. Yes, she-

Allison: She tells you bloody everything! I asked her once, if she knew who it was and what did she do? Walked away. The stroppy cow. So, you know him? This bloke?

Janet: No. Not really. I've only met him 3 or 4 times.

Allison: I just got a call from Child Services saying that he's wanting to sort out custody and visiting with me. Has Charlie even met him?

Janet: Once, twice, but Rachel wasn't- Shit. She said he would do this.

Allison: What?

Janet: She didn't like him, Rachel. She was trying to keep him at bay.

Allison: For a good reason? Or because Rachel doesn't really like anybody?

Janet: I shouldn't really say but, he was, rather...rough with her.

Allison: Charlotte?

Janet: No with Rachel. He, um, he sort of forced himself on her.

Allison: What?!

Janet: I'm sorry I'm the one telling you.

Allison: He hurt her?

Janet: Listen, Rachel, she didn't want anyone to know.

Allison: I can't even call her! I can't, it's killing me not knowing what's going on with her. It's part of the bail, and my having Charlotte. I can't contact her. Why would you tell me something like that? When I've got no way to make sure she's alright?

Janet: I know, I just thought you should know, him having Charlotte isn't something Rachel would want.

Allison: Abso-fucking-lutely NOT.

Janet: Father's have rights. And I'm sure they'll try to push that but you've known Charlotte her whole life so, push back with the stability she'd be losing if they tried to give her to him.

Allison: Over my dead body!

Janet: When I get a chance I'll send you the numbers of some family court solicitors.

Allison: I wish I could call her.

Janet: You can't jeopardize things with Charlotte.

Allison: I know, I know. Can you call her? Just make sure she's alright. That she's eating.

Janet: I can't. But she's adhering to her bail terms. Her reports are coming in as compliant. So, she's coping I'm sure. She's strong.

Allison: I hope so. (Long sigh) I'd better get back to Charlotte.

Janet: Alright, Bye now. Call me anytime Allison.

Allison: Yeah. (They hang up. Janet holds her phone in front of her staring down at the background, a photo of her, Elise and Tasie all at Tasie's wedding. Rachel took the photo. It's been 14 days and she kept reassuring herself that being isolated would only make Rachel stronger. She had this way of bolstering herself up to meet any challenge. But just in case, Janet scrolls through her phone to a number she hasn't used in quite some time.)

(A few hours later, on Rachel's doorstep, stands Gill Murray. She's been enjoying her retirement and looks tanner, younger and more full of life. Her hair is slicked back with sunglasses as if she just came back from holiday. She knocks on Rachel's door and waits. There is no answer. She knocks again and waits before trying the handle. It turns, unlocked, and she slowly pushes the door open. The air is stale and foul.)

Gill: Hello? (There's no answer and Gill enters the house. A pair of Rachel's jeans are on the floor by the door and a tee-shirt with dried vomit. This is probably what the smell is. She enters cautiously.) Rachel? (The house is in disarray. She follows the sound of the television and finds Rachel, in nothing but her bra and panties, laying on her stomach on the sofa. Her breathing looks normal so Gill isn't so much alarmed as she is disappointed. The coffee table is covered in bottles and the room reeks of fag smoke. This was not what she was expecting to walk into when Janet called her asking her to stop in and check on Rachel. This was her shining star. She takes a few steps forward and looks over Rachel, wondering which approach to take with her. As her boss, she was tough on Rachel. She had to be, it kept her in line but it always pushed her to do better, be better and that's what Gill wanted for her, better. She touches Rachel's leg and shakes it.) Rachel? (Rachel groans. Gill sighs looking over Rachel's body. This was definitely "friend" territory and not "boss" territory. So Gill decides to drop her professional coldness. She decides to do what she's always wanted to do. She raises her hand and lets her open palm fall down hard onto Rachel's backside.)

Rachel: (Jolts up) Ali, I'm up. (She sits up, her eyes still closed. It's obvious to Gill she's still drunk. This sudden movement upsets her stomach and she makes a gagging sound. Gill's eyes frantically rove over the table for something but Rachel leans over and vomits into her empty wine glass, mostly successfully.) Eeer. (She groans in pain, placing the glass down and then her hand moves to her bum. She remembers the sudden sting. She finally looks over and sees Gill.) Fuck. Please tell me, I'm dead and you're the devil dressed as Gill to torment me.

Gill: No. I'm Gill dressed as Gill to torment you. (Rachel lays back down.)

Rachel: (whines) Why did you hit me?

Gill: In all my years working with you, putting up with all of your nonsense. I always thought to myself, If I could just give her one good whack. I could knock some sense into this girl.

Rachel: Well done. You fixed me. I'm cured of all nonsense. (Rachel curls up. Her knees to her chest. She closes her eyes again.)

Gill: (tutts at how greasy Rachel's dark hair looks, as if she's not washed in some time. She looks over the empty bottles and then back at Rachel.) What's all this? Are you trying to drink yourself to death?

Rachel: If it was good enough for him.

Gill: Who?

Rachel: I'm hoping for the organ failure ending and not the choke on your own vomit one. It's a gamble.

Gill: Right, well I'm not having this. This is disgraceful.

Rachel: My middle name.

Gill: We're getting you out of this house. Don't worry, we'll be back so you can mop up after yourself. But I can barely think in this stink. So, you're gonna get up. Get some kit on. And I'm sobering you up. (Rachel groans in protest and hides her face in her couch cushion. Gill waits a second and lands another hard smack on Rachel's thigh.)

Rachel: Ow, (Her eyes are definitely open now as she rubs her leg.) What the hell? You can't do that, surely?

Gill: Why not? You and I, kiddo, are nothing more than two civilians right about now. So I can do what I like. Now get your stinky pathetic little backside moving, girl. Or I've got more where that comes from.

Rachel: Alright, fuck. (She sits up slowly and Gill watches the grimace as her insides slosh around.) Shit. (She sighs to herself and rubs her leg) You're such a bitch.

Gill: Get a holdall, some clean clothes and knickers. I'm giving you 15 minutes. I'm going to grab a bin bag because if you're sick in my car I will suffocate you with it.

Rachel: Lovely.

Gill: This is what friends are for Rachel. (She looks at her watch) Tick-tock.


	18. Scene 18 - Scott & Bailey 2019

(The next morning. Rachel's eyes open slowly and she is alarmed by the unfamiliar ceiling. She wiggles her body in the silky sheets, high caliber. She is certainly not home, but she's definitely in her undergarments. She moves a hand to her knickers and touches herself gently, she's not sore and doesn't feel like she's had sex. She doesn't remember. She grabs a nearby pillow and smells it. It doesn't smell like anyone else was in the bed with her. Finally, She sits up and looks around the room. It's very posh but there are barely any signs of being lived in. There are no wires, phone chargers, books, or family photos. In the circular frameless mirror, Rachel can see the reflection of beautiful black and white print of an oleander that hangs over the bed. She avoids looking at herself, imagining she must be worse for wear. With her eyes she scans the room and recognizes as hers, a black graphic tee-shirt and a pair of jeans folded neatly on a gray chaise lounge. As she places her toes on the floor beside the bed, she notices the headache tablets and glass of water on the nightstand. She opens the tablets and washes down two. Wherever she is, someone is looking after her. This idea comforts her some.

As she stands and begins dressing, she's more and more confident that she did not have sex. However, she struggles to remember anything from the day before. She vaguely recalls having a shower, being yelled at and being annoyed. Rachel exits the bedroom, still zipping her jeans and looks around. Much to her dismay, there are no real personal signs of anything in the hallway either, just more black and white nature photos and a sleek glass accent table. Sunshine draws Rachel's cautious steps toward a large open floorplan livingroom/kitchen area. She's in a highrise, luxury flat. The floor to ceiling windows overlook the greater Manchester area and from the sleek modern kitchen she can hear the sound of the coffee pot brewing. The smell is comforting but she wishes there were some clue to where she was. She tiptoes around a tufted white settee, with what seems to be a rabbit fur throw over the back of it. She is convinced she's in a woman's home. On the coffee table is a pile of papers. Rachel looks over her shoulder before lifting them to read. The top sheet is a poorly done photo-copy of her case file. She quickly flips through and stops on a photo of her daughter, a grainy picture taken at the police station the morning they took her. Her eyes look like they've been crying and what follows is a detailed report of her physical condition. Rachel covers her mouth thinking of her baby going through tests without her.)

Gill: And just like that, (Rachel spins around to see her) your ability to dress yourself has been restored. Excellent.

Rachel: Gill. (Rachel blushes and looks around at the place and then at the papers and then remains silent and still. Gill smirks and walks over to the coffee machine. This was the Rachel she was used to dealing with, rightly embarrassed of herself and ready to learn her lesson, not the insolent, incorrigible and inconsolable drunk she was forced to wrangle with the day before. Rachel watches as Gill, dressed for the day in lightly colored pleated trousers and a loose fitting floral top, pours herself a cup of coffee. She looks great. Rachel pushes a long strand of her dark hair behind her ear and looks down at her bare feet. She has another flash of memory of her feet in the shower and being yelled at, she realizes the voice must've been Gill's.)

Gill: If I pour you a coffee, will you keep it down? (Rachel shifts her weight from one foot to another, feeling the accusatory tone and quickly resuming her role of reprimanded school girl.)

Rachel: Please.

Gill: Good. How's your head? Did you take the tablets?

Rachel: Yes, cheers. (She takes a few tentative steps towards the kitchen and Gill smiles at her as she places a coffee mug onto the granite countertop. Her smile was welcoming but her eyes were challenging, like a friendly trap. Gill had a way of making Rachel feel insecure. For reasons unknown to her, she needed this woman's approval. With Janet it was different. She needed Janet to like her but Janet was a softy. If Rachel bullied her or pouted enough Janet would always come around. Gill, however, she had to earn approval, she had to work for it, she had to impress and or submit. Rachel chews the inside of her lip, knowing whatever state she was in was far from impressive, and so tucking her tail between her legs was the route to take.) Did you...I'm just- I'm trying to piece it all together. (Gill nods and sips her coffee, allowing Rachel the time to think of, recall or invent any number of embarrassing things she may have done.) Where, um - where are we?

Gill: (laughs lightly at how clueless Rachel is.) I sold my house after Sammy married. Too many memories. Started fresh here. You'd know that if you called now and again.

Rachel: (nods and bows her head shamefully. She pushes another loose piece of her dark hair from her face and keeps her eyes fixed on cabinets just beyond Gill.) Did you wash my hair?

Gill: Yes. As of yesterday evening, I've seen way more of you than I ever wanted to. (Rachel squints as if this revelation caused her physical pain.)

Rachel: Why?

Gill: Would you have rather I'd Ieft you half-starkers in a pile of your own sick?

Rachel: (Fidgets with the papers in her hand and avoids eye contact out of embarrassment) You came to my flat?

Gill: Yes. Janet asked me to check on you. Good job I did. I brought you here so you could sleep off the booze and sort yourself out.

Rachel: Than-

Gill: And, my god, you really are a nightmare of a woman. (Rachel nods and then takes a seat on a nearby barstool settling in for what she presumes will be a tongue lashing. She sips her coffee.) Once I got you here, I told you to get in the shower because I wasn't having you in my spare room smelling like shit warmed over. You argued every excuse in the book. I havent had to fight someone to get in the bath since my Sammy was knee high. Then you said something idiotic, like "You think your sheets are better than me?"

Rachel: I felt them. They are. (sips coffee)

Gill: I know they bloody are! That's why I forced you to wash up. I walked you into the baths and turned the shower on. Then you started accusing me of being a dirty old woman. (Rachel mouths 'sorry'.) And you stripped off and said "You want to watch do you?" And I did. I watched you, but only because I wasn't confident that if I left you alone you weren't going to topple over and knock yourself out on my shower floor.

Rachel: Fucking hell.

Gill: I only finished washing your hair for ya, because you were halfway through shampooing, and you just started sobbing like nothing I've ever seen before. And I banged on the glass and told you to pull yourself together, but you just slid down to the floor and sat with the shampoo bottle crying. Babbling something about shampoo that doesn't sting your eyes?

Rachel: Fuck me.

Gill: No, thank you. Like I said, I've seen enough of your white arse for a lifetime.

Rachel: Do you hate me?

Gill: If I did, I would've left you how I found you.

Rachel: I'm sorry.

Gill: Good. And now hopefully, that's out of your system. Because we've gotta get you sorted girl. (She reaches out and Rachel instinctively hands over the papers.)


	19. Scene 19 - Scott & Bailey 2019

(Hours later, Janet sits on an unfamiliar sofa in a modest livingroom. She is fresh from work and it's late. Tony, Allison's husband, is a heavy set man and sits in an armchair across from Janet. The television squawks in the background.)

Tony: It's been a treat having a little one in the house again.

Janet: I bet. I miss when mine were that age. (Tony grunts in agreement and then looks back to the television. Janet looks over to the door where she anticipates Allison to appear.)

Allsion: (In the hall, coming down the stairs. Allison holds the arm of Charlotte who is in a rush to see her Nan. The toddler is moving too quickly for her amateur level of mastery over stairs.) Hang on, you'll kill us both. (Charlotte lets out a cackle at this. She had an odd humor. Janet smiles at the sound of the happy child.) Slow down. (Allison reminds her again. Charlotte is dressed in pink jammies with hearts on them and her hair is wrapped in a towel. As soon as she hops to the bottom stair, Allison lets go of the little girls arm and allows her to run into the livingroom.)

Charlotte: Nan! (She jumps into Janet's arms and Janet pulls the little girl up onto her lap. She hugs her and Charlotte's squeeze is tight. Unlike her mother, this little girl was not a stranger to affection.)

Janet: Aww, I missed you.

Charlotte: I wanted to see you, yesterday. When I was at work.

Janet: That was a few days gone.

Charlotte: Yes. I was at work with my Mummy.

Janet: Yes, how are you sweet girl? You just had a bath?

Charlotte: Yeah. (Allison turns the corner and is clearly exhausted. She's obviously been having less of a "treat" taking care of the active toddler.)

Allison: (to Tony) Did you put the kettle on?

Tony: No.

Allison: Did you offer Janet a cup of tea?

Tony: I was- (He motions to the telly.)

Allison: Course you didn't. Janet, would you like a cuppa?

Janet: Sure. Tah Allison. (Allison disappears to put the kettle on. Returns her full attention to the little girl still wrapped in her arms.) Have you been ok?

Charlotte: Yes, I have been playing with Aunt Ali. And I miss Tasie and I miss my Mummy.

Janet: Yes, I know. (peeks over at Tony who isn't paying them any mind, then looks back to Charlotte's eager eyes.) Charlotte, do you know what a secret is?

Charlotte: (smiles that cheeky impish smile that reminds Janet of Rachel. Charlotte cups a hand to her face and whispers) It's when you talk like this.

Janet: (smiles) Yes. But If I told you a secret, who would you tell? Would you tell Aunt Ali?

Charlotte: Yeah.

Janet: So, a secret is something that you can't tell anyone. Ok?

Charlotte: Ok.

Janet: So, if I told you a secret and a police officer came to the house and said "Charlotte, tell me the secret." Would you tell them?

Charlotte: Yes.

Janet: (sighs) But it's a secret. You can't tell anyone.

Charlotte: Why?

Janet: Because if you tell it will get everyone in a great deal of trouble.

Charlotte: Ok. (Janet shifts Charlotte's position on her lap and then texts.) But Police help with trouble.

Janet: (text) _I don't think this will work. You haven't told her have you? _(She bounces Charlotte on her knee.) Yes, but you don't want Mummy to get in trouble do you? (her phone buzzes.)

Charlotte: My Mummy?

Janet: (smirks) Yes your Mummy. (reads text)

Gill: (text) _Make it work. _(Janet rolls her eyes, this woman was no longer her boss and yet somehow she was still being bossed around by her.)

(Gill's flat. Gill taps her mobile phone to her chin before placing it down and looking to the door that leads to the hallway.)

Gill: Rachel? (There's a response from far off and Gill waits. She's not disappointed as her now obedient subject rather quickly appears in the doorway. Rachel holds a pizza box.) What's that? (Maybe obedient was too strong a word, this was Rachel. Compliant may be closer to reality.)

Rachel: I ordered a pizza. (She begins towards the livingroom and Gill quickly points a finger.)

Gill: Don't you dare bring that greasy, saucy, thing anywhere near my settee. (Rachel rolls her eyes and turns in her heels back toward the kitchen. She quickly finds her way to the barstool she had parked herself in earlier. Gill watches, as it only took a few hours for Rachel to make herself at home. She's got her foot pulled up onto the stool and opens the pizza box.) Uh, uh! (Rachel pauses.) Don't you tuck into that just yet. I've got a surprise for you.

Rachel: Oh? (Rachel closes the box and wipes her hands on her jeans, in case there was any grease. Gill takes a long blink, choosing to ignore this. She wasn't going to be able to Eliza Doolittle Rachel. That was an impossible task and she needed to remember that. Rachel is smiling as she approaches the settee.) You've got me a pressie? (She takes a seat beside Gill. Rachel bats her eyelids and puts on a sweet little girl voice.) Do I get prize for being such a good girl?

Gill: Not exactly. It's a bit more motivation.

Rachel: (rolls her eyes, reverting instantly back) You've been kicking me arse all day, I don't reckon I can handle anymore more Murray Motivation, thank you.

Gill: Shut up. (Rachel folds her arms stubbornly but does in fact shut up. Gill grabs her phone and initiates a video call with Janet. Rachel's body language changes and she's instantly mellowed by seeing Janet's name and photo on the screen. Gill nods and waits. Janet answers and the video takes a second to connect. When it does, Charlotte is in the frame. The little girl's wide smile almost fills the screen and Rachel's eyes well up. She, without asking, takes the phone from Gill's hands.)

Charlotte: Hello Mummy.

Rachel: Baby, hello. (She wipes a tear quickly) Charlie, Mummy misses you so much.

Charlotte: Are you at work now Mummy?

Rachel: No, right now I'm at your Aunt Gill's.

Charlotte: Can I come there too? I want to go there.

Rachel: I wish you could.

Charlotte: Maybe I can. Aunt Ali can drive me. I'm at Aunt Ali's. I have a big girl bed here.

Rachel: A big girl bed?

Charlotte: Yes, and I sleep all by myself.

Rachel: What a good girl.

Charlotte: I miss you. So, can I come to that house?

Rachel: You can't. Not, not right now, lovebug.

Charlotte: Tomorrow? (Rachel looks away from the screen fighting back tears and failing. She wipes a few away and looks back to the screen.)

Rachel: Mummy will see you as soon as I can. I promise. Okay?

Charlotte: Ok. But I love you.

Rachel: I love you too Charlie. So so so so so much.

Charlotte: That's good. So, maybe you should come here then.

Janet: (speaks softly to Charlie) Mummy can't come here right now. OK, just tell her how you are and what you've been up to.

Rachel: Hello Janet.

Janet: Hiya Rach. You look good. (Rachel looks over to Gill. She must not have told anyone what a state she found Rachel in the day before.)

Charlotte: Mummy. Mummy.

Rachel: Yes baby?

Charlotte: I have a new toothbrush.

Rachel: (smiles) That's brilliant.

Charlotte: Actually, I hate it.

Rachel: (laughs) What? Why?

Charlotte: I just like my one at our house.

Rachel: I know but I'm sure this new one is just as good.

Charlotte: It's rubbish. (Rachel laughs.)

Allison: (Returns to the room with tea.) Here you are Janet.

Janet: Tah, Allison. (Janet makes a 'yikes' face into the camera.)

Allison: Let's get your hair done Charlie.

Charlotte: No I'm busy.

Allison: Busy? Get over here. I swear to god Janet, I don't know how Rachel does it. My girl's hair is so fine, this little one-

Charlotte: I'm talking to my Mummy. (She moves Janet's phone to show Allison. Allison sees a glimpse of Rachel's face.)

Rachel: Hiya Ali.

Allison: Is this allowed?

Janet: Technically, all I've done is answered a call from Gill.

Allison: Godzilla? (Rachel shakes her head and smiles at Gill who shrugs.)

Janet: And neither, I nor Gill, are forbade from contacting one another.

Allison: (pushes onto the sofa, leaning into Janet and Charlotte to see the phone. She moves Charlotte's hand to get a better view.) Rachel. Aw, you look good.

Charlotte: I want to hold it! (She struggles to fight the phone out of Allison's hand.)

Allison: Let me hold it, I can hold it still. (There's a struggle and all Rachel and Gill can see is movement and fabric.)

Rachel: Oiy, don't give Aunt Ali a tough time.

Allison: You heard your Mum.

Janet: How about I hold it, since it's my phone? (The phone is suddenly still and refocuses on a now pouting Charlotte on both Janet and Allison's laps.)

Rachel: Ali, just watch a youtube. It's not that hard.

Allison: You what?

Rachel: For her hair. It's not that hard.

Allison: Aw, you look thin Rachel. Have you been eating?

Rachel: I just ordered a pizza.

Allison: Good. I've been worried sick about you.

Rachel: I'm fine. (She looks out the corner of her eye at Gill again and then back at the screen.)

Allison: Good good good. Janet she told me about what happened.

Rachel: About what?

Janet: (looks mortified for a moment) I'm sorry Rach.

Allison: I'm your sister. You're meant to tell me things like that.

Rachel: What are you on about?

Allison: (covers Charlotte's ears and still whispers) About her d-a-d and what he did.

Rachel: Oh. (Gill watches because a strange shift in energy just occurred, making even her feel uncomfortable. Rachel's face is serious for a moment.)

Allison: That's not how she, um, was-

Rachel: No. Not at all.

Allison: Oh, thank god. (She pulls Charlotte into a hug and Charlotte seems annoyed to suddenly have her face smooshed into boobs. Charlotte pushes away.) Not that that would make me feel any differently. So, when...when did that happen?

Rachel: (sighs and shakes her head annoyed) Thanks Janet.

Janet: I only told her because he's trying for visitation, like you said. She'd need to know the full facts, wouldn't she? To know what she's up against.

Rachel: I knew he would. (Looks to Gill then back to Allison.) Three days before I was arrested.

Allison: Three days?! So, you're telling me that happened this month?!

Rachel: Can we not waste my time talking about this?

Allison: Does Gill know? Gill? Can't something be done about this?

Rachel: Gill doesn't know. And she can't do anything. She's not even-

Gill: Uh, excuse you lady. You don't know what I can and can't do with who I know. Don't worry Allison, she'll tell me whatever it is, once we've hung up. Let the girls talk and we'll sort the grown-up business after. (Rachel chooses to ignore that she's being talked about like a child.)

Allison: Right, I've gotta do her hair so I can this one into bed. (Allison takes the towel off of Charlotte's head releasing her mass of curls. Rachel smiles warmly admiring her baby's beauty.)

Charlotte: Mummy?

Rachel: Yes?

Charlotte: Will I see you tomorrow?

Rachel: (sighs) Probably not Charlie.

Charlotte: Because you're working?

Rachel: (Fights back tears successfully) What about you? Have you been practicing your letters?

Charlotte: No.

Rachel: No?

Charlotte: I haven't got my cards. (Janet shifts some and attempts to help comb one half of Charlotte's head while Allison tackles the other half.)

Rachel: Maybe Aunt Ali will get you some.

Charlotte: Can you tell her what my song is? She says she doesn't know it. Because I asked her to play it and she says "I don't know it." So then, I say "I can't sleep." And then she gets cross with me. And then-

Allison: Please dear god - (Allison looks up from combing) Please tell me what this bloody song is.

Rachel: (chuckles) Her song is "Happy Together" by the Turtles.

Allison: What, really? Isn't that song older than the both of ya?

Rachel: Yeah.

Janet: (hums and Charlotte mimics the humming.) _If I should call you up/ invest a dime...and you say you belong to me and ease my mind/_

Allison: _Imagine how the world could be so very fine/_

Charlotte: (loudly) _So happy together!_ (Rachel laughs and her eyes fill with tears. She shoves the camera at Gill as she hides her face in one of her hands. Gill takes the phone allowing Rachel to break down. She pulls her teeshirt up to her face soaking in her tears.)

Allison: She's a nightmare to put to bed.

Gill: Like mother, like daughter then. (Gives Rachel a look, that says "get it together" and then smiles through small talk.) You look like you know what you're doing Allison.

Allison: I reckon, I'm getting better at it.

Rachel: (takes a few deep breaths and wipes at her eyes. Tears are still in her eyelashes and she wipes them with the shirt she's wearing before reaching for the phone again. Gill hands it over.) Charlotte? (Charlotte looks back at the phone again. Rachel sings softly.) _I can't see me loving nobody but you._

Charlotte: (laughs loudly pulling away from the two woman, attempting to tame her, overjoyed her mother is playing along. Loudly.) _For all my Liiiiiiiiiiiiiiife._

Rachel: _When you're with me baby the skies will be blue._

Charlotte: _For all my liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiife._

Allison: Uh, there he goes. You girls have sung Tony out of the room. (Both Rachel and Charlotte laugh.)

Rachel: Bugger off Tony.

Charlotte: Bugger off!

Allison: (sternly) Rachel!

Rachel: C'mon, it's cute when she says it. (Charlotte can't control her giggles.)

Allison: We're working on manners.

Rachel: Good luck.

Allison: I imagine you'll undo all my hardwork once you get her back. (Rachel smiles and nods solemnly.) You will. You will get her back.

Rachel: We're working on a plan.


	20. Scene 20 - Scott & Bailey 2019

(About 45 minutes later. Rachel comes out of the spare room with Gill's phone. Gill sits on the settee drinking a scotch. She looks up from the case file in her lap and watches Rachel enter. She's got watery eyes and Gill suspects she finished crying after having to end the videochat with Charlotte.)

Gill: Little one's all tucked in, is she?

Rachel: Yeah, but she were never going to sleep with me on the phone. So, I had to let her go. (She hands Gill the phone. Gill watches as Rachel holds her own elbow and stands dejectedly in front of her, pouting and zoned off to another planet. Gill pats the cushion beside her and Rachel obediently takes a seat. There was plenty of sitting room elsewhere, but Rachel sits close enough to Gill that they're nearly touching. Rachel looks over Gill's body, thinking carefully and then thoughtfully placing her hand on Gill's knee.) Thank you. Thank you for all of it. For getting me out of my sick and out of my head and not telling anyone how you found me. For helping me. For the call.

Gill: (takes Rachel's hand in hers) Anything for you, kid. (Rachel smiles. This kindness was surely undeserved. Gill drops Rachel's hand and then places her open palm gently on Rachel's cheek. She pats it and then sips her scotch.)

Rachel: Why?

Gill: Why, what?

Rachel: Why are you so? Why...why are you always looking after me? You always always have. Even when I was an unprofessional messy embarrassment to ya. You still stood up for me.

Gill: And that's why you call me Godzilla?

Rachel: No it's because of your scales. (twists her lips in a smile)

Gill: Oiy! (Laughs)

Rachel: No, I'd love to claim it, but I never came up with that nickname. It was already in use by the time I started on your team. I just made it popular.

Gill: Cheers for that.

Rachel: I mean, in the whole of my life, you've done more good for me than either of my parents had ever done.

Gill: It's just what you do when you care about someone and think they're worth the investment of your time and energy.

Rachel: Thank you.

Gill: Alright, (pats Rachel's leg) now tell me about Spencer. What happened between you two exactly 17 days ago?

Rachel: Eer…(She puts her head back on the sofa) Do we have to?

Gill: If I'm helping you, what was the arrangement? (She pauses a moment but Rachel doesn't answer. So she does.) That you tell me everything. Now, here, I find out that you haven't.

Rachel: (stares up at the ceiling) Well it's not relevant.

Gill: Janet thought it was relevant enough to mention to your sister.

Rachel: Yes, but Janet is an interfering, sensitive-

Gill: (points and interjects) Janet, is a really good mate, who got me to go round yours yesterday, and is the person who just sat over an hour in your sister's house so that you could talk to your little one. So don't you dare get in a strop with her for talking to your sister. (Rachel doesn't say anything in response but she also doesn't lift her head from the sofa.) Rachel Bailey, if you're going to act like a stroppy brat, I will go back to treating you like a stroppy brat and take you over my knee.

Rachel: (lifts her head to let out a laugh) What?

Gill: It worked on you yesterday. Some manual Murray motivation.

Rachel: You didn't? (Gill raises her eyebrows. Rachel tries to remember being smacked on the bottom. She feels like that type of physical humiliation would be something that would have sobered her up. However, she only vaguely recalls the shampoo incident so she could very well have been spanked by Gill.)

Gill: I reckon I'd make much more of an impact this time. (Gill smiles holding up her hand, displaying her open palm.)

Rachel: (laughs, not sure how serious Gill is, she strategically shifts from the settee to the nearby chair.) No tah.

Gill: (smirks) Well, start talking then.

Rachel: I just don't want you to...I dunno, look at me like Janet does now.

Gill: (sighs and rolls her eyes) What? Did you shag him? I know you've got loose knickers Rachel. That's not news.

Rachel: I-(she rubs her hands together and runs her tongue over her lips priming them to speak. She looks passed Gill, for the first time in several hours reverting back to her meek avoidance technique.) Since I've had her, Charlotte, I've barely had any action. Like, none. Being a single mum, working the hours I work...worked. I just didn't have the time. I started seeing the other side of the argument, ya know about legalizing prostitution. (Gill laughs again and sips her scotch as she keeps her focus intently on the anxious Rachel.) After I text him-

Gill: Spencer.

Rachel: Yes, after I text Spencer to meet up, it was obvious he, well he came on to me first. He said I still looked fit.

Gill: Charming. Like poetry.

Rachel: And I, he really was charmless. He sent me a dick pic. And I was, I guess I was so- I dunno. I haven't had that sort of attention in a while. And I just thought something is better than nothing. I'm not the fit young DC in the office anymore. Now I'm the nearly 40 year old bitch of a boss. And I miss it. I just fell into it so quickly. I missed flirting. I missed feeling, desirable, I guess?

Gill: Rachel, is this a really long way to tell me you shagged him?

Rachel: (Sighs, she looks for a second into Gill's eyes annoyed with her impatience. She looks away again and continues.) So, when we met up, I just wanted to get a feel for him. See what sort of bloke he was and if I wanted to introduce him to Charlie but he was very suggestive. The entire time, he didn't make a secret of it, that he wanted me. After, he said it wasn't part of his plan, but thinking about it now, he did all the coming on to me. IF he hadn't, I wouldn't have invited him back to mine like I did. I had one agenda when I showed up at the pub that night and it was to suss him out. That was all.

Gill: (bored) So, you shagged him?

Rachel: So, we get back to mine and we're snogging and his hands are everywhere and it's like he's hungry for me and I liked that. I hadn't felt that in a really long time. So, I brought him into my room and I hadn't told him about Charlotte. So, while I was working on getting his jeans off, he was looking around my flat putting the pieces together. Carseat in the back of me car, her shoes by the door, photo of us by the bed.

Gill: Oh, so you got in a row?

Rachel: Not exactly. I was, I was a bit rusty. I couldn't get his jeans undone. So I thought, sod it. He can get himself undressed. And I stripped off. He didn't.

Gill: Would you like a Scotch?

Rachel: Maybe you can just shut up and let me finish?

Gill: Oh!

Rachel: I just want to get it out and be done with it alright?

Gill: Sure. I'm still waiting for it to get exciting.

Rachel: Please shut up.

Gill: Alright.

Rachel: (breathes deeply) So I stripped off and he didn't. And now that I'm saying this all out loud, it really seems like he knew what he was doing.

Gill: Right, you were the rusty one not-

Rachel: Gill, for fucks sake. Please. Shh. (Gill laughs at the outburst surprised to be put in her place by this lady she's been babying for a day and a half. She sips her scotch and crosses her legs. Rachel shakes her head clearly agitated and this amuses Gill more.) So, he lifted me up and put me on the bed. And, he got my hands like…( She mimics how they were pinned over her head and then very quickly hunches over) and he...he got himself out, and he started, ya know. And I was so bloody desperate, and enjoying it, that I barely even registered what he was saying at first. But he said uh, "When were you gonna tell me about her?" And he sort of, well he was humping me, and the first few, it still felt good, but now my brain was all over trying to catch up. What was he talking about- And I saw he was looking at Charlie's photo by the bed. And I weren't thinking about her. I mean you don't when you're...ya know. (Gill nods but doesn't audibly respond. She was asked to shut up.) So when I saw he was looking at her, I don't remember what I said but he said "You think you can use people and there not be consequences?" And I (she gets choked up and nods) I told him to stop. But he didn't.

Gill: Bloody hell.

Rachel: And he just, kept on and on and I couldn't do anything to stop it. So...I just-I had to just wait until he were done with me. (Clears her throat and then looks Gill back in the eye.) Anyway, that's what happened 17 days ago but it's irrelevant to the case against me.

Gill: Rachel, I'm so sorry.

Rachel: That's more than I actually even told Janet. So, there you go.

Gill: I, I'm sorry about what I said about you having loose knickers. I-

Rachel: I mean, I told Janet that. I know that's what people think of me. And fuck everyone's opinion. If I were a bloke no one would bat an eye at how many people I've shagged. I'd get a fucking grand congratulations. So sod what anyone thinks. But, at the same time, I know it's a double standard and me stood next to him, I'm the slag. No questions asked. So, anyway. Maybe I would like a scotch now. (Gill pours another measure into her glass and then simply hands the glass to Rachel. Rachel sips it and closes one eye as the liquid burns down her throat.)

Gill: This changes everything.

Rachel: How?

Gill: I thought this entire time, we were dealing with some bloke you severely fucked over by keeping his kid away from him, for your own messy mental reasons. Because you are a proper head-case nightmare of a woman.

Rachel: Got it.

Gill: I thought, we were dealing with a good copper. Someone to fight reputation against reputation. But we're not.

Rachel: Aren't we?

Gill: No, we're dealing with a nasty scumbag rapist arsehole.

Rachel: So? (Rachel sips the scotch)

Gill: So, we haven't got to fight back fairly.

Rachel: How do you mean?


	21. Scene 21 - Scott & Bailey 2019

(Around midnight. Rachel tiptoes out of the spare room and toward the door to the flat. She very carefully puts her hand on the lock and when she turns the door handle almost simultaneously she hears a chime off in the distance. She turns toward the sound and the hall light blasts on. Rachel blinks and then her eyes adjust to see Gill in her nightgown.)

Rachel: How did Sammy get away with anything?

Gill: His Dad.

Rachel: You're like a bloody hawk.

Gill: Where d'you think you're going?

Rachel: (sighs and locks the door back) I was gonna get some fags. You might've quit overnight but-

Gill: You did too.

Rachel: Yeah, but I had a baby to think about.

Gill: You've got that same baby to think about.

Rachel: I need one or five.

Gill: You don't.

Rachel: I do.

Gill: You need your rest.

Rachel: Gill, I'm a grown woman.

Gill: Get back in bed. You've got a busy day tomorrow. (Gill turns the light out and goes back to her room. Rachel looks to the door and then to Gill's room a little annoyed with Gill's confidence that she would do as she was told. She was going to, but still it got under her skin that Gill had this affect on her. What was it about this woman? Rachel sighs and goes back to the spare room.)

(Next day. Rachel is on her hands and knees in her house, wearing shorts and tee shirt. Her hair is pulled back in a sloppy ponytail and she wears pink rubber gloves as she scrubs wine stains out of her carpet. "Bad Guy" by Billie Eilish plays in the background loud enough to be heard from another room. )

Rachel: (sings along) _I do what I want when I'm wanting to. My soul? So cynical. So you're a -_

Gill: (enters from the hallway) Bad news, cock. (Rachel rolls her eyes and then sits up forcing a smile at Gill.) He's replied and he's said he can't make it. (She walks over to where Rachel is kneeling and holds the phone out to her. Rachel makes a show of taking off the rubber gloves and slapping them on the table. She takes the phone which is open to a text conversation with Spencer.)

Rachel: How've you got the pin to my phone?

Gill: (folds her arms looking down at Rachel) Seriously?

Rachel: (looks at the messages. One from her reads: "Can we meet and talk about this properly? I can meet you halfway this time if you'd like?" One reply from Spencer reads "I'll see if I can." The next sent 2 minutes ago says "Sorry. Can't." ) Well, if I said I was disappointed I'd be lying.

Gill: We've still got 20 days until the trial. Ask him when will be best for him. Arrange another time.

Rachel: (texts Spencer: "When's a better time for you?" She then presses the home button feeling sick thinking about meeting with him. Her home screen is a picture of Charlotte smiling on their front steps. She's got a dimple in her cheek and her eyes are squint shut. Rachel tosses the phone over to the table.) Alright, Aggie, how's it look?

Gill: Aggie?

Rachel: Yeah, or is it Kim? Which one was the little one?

Gill: What are you on about?

Rachel: Nevermind.

Gill: (inspects the spot Rachel's working on) Almost looks like you've been house-trained.

Rachel: (laughs and points in time with the music.) _I'll be your animal. _

Gill: What's this?

Rachel: It's called "Bad Guy".

Gill: Hmm. (Listens for a second) You know, I can hardly understand what she's saying. Whatever happened to singing? This is just whispering over lift music. (Rachel laughs again and then stands.)

Rachel: (sings at Gill) _So you're a tough guy. Like it really rough guy. _(She dances suggestively next to her and Gill smiles, pleased to see Rachel enjoying herself.) _Just can't get enough guy, chest always so puffed guy. I'm that bad type. Make your mama sad type._

Gill: I thought you hated Karaoke.

Rachel: This isn't karaoke. This is my flat. (sings and points at herself) _I'm the bad guy. Duh. _(She dances and Gill watches her sway her hips side to side.) C'mon, we've been working all morning. Let your hair down. I will. (She pulls the elastic holding her hair up and then tussles her dark locks as she dances.)

Gill: This isn't something I would dance to.

Rachel: Alright. (She walks over to the ihome and presses next. Senorita begins playing.) What about this? Little salsa? Merengue?

Gill: No.

Rachel: C'mon. You must be tired of playing the strict Mummy Gill act. It's been nearly 3 days. You've done that bit. You've whipped me into shape, figuratively and possibly literally. (Gill smirks) Let's have a laugh before you swan off back to your posh new life and your fancy man and leave me here all on me own. (She pouts) We're mates now, aren't we? Mates can have a laugh.

Gill: Alright. But I'm going to pick the song.

(Late that night. Rachel is asleep on her sofa, the tv is on mute and is the only light source in the room. She wakes to the sound of a hard knock on the door. She sits up and removes the pink blanket, Charlotte's, that barely covers Rachel's long body but comforted her by still smelling like her baby. She rubs her eyes and then looks at her phone. It's near midnight. No texts. She gets up and goes to the door. She opens it on the chain and through the crack she sees Spencer.)

Rachel: What-What are you doing here?

Spencer: You said to pick a time that works best for me. Now's good.

Rachel: Now's not good.

Spencer: Open up.

Rachel: No. This isn't how I wanted to do this.

Spencer: You still haven't got the picture. You're not the one in control here. (Rachel glares at him.) You let me in. We'll talk about everything. Maybe come to some sort of understanding. Or, you shut the door in me face and I'll piss off back to London and I'll see you at the trial.

Rachel: Can't we just, meet tomorrow? At a Starbucks or something?

Spencer: Now or never Rachel. (She bites her lip and exhales deeply.)

Rachel: Alright. (She closes the door and lifts her hand to remove the chain. Her fingers tremble for a moment before she pushes through her nerves and removes the chain. She opens the door to a smugly smiling Spencer. He takes a step forward and she takes a step to the side. He enters her home. This is not what she wanted.)

Spencer: Wow, even cleaner than the last time.


	22. Scene 22 - Scott & Bailey 2019

(Rachel watches as Spencer walks into her home as if he owns the place. A shiver goes down her spine and goose pimples form on her arms. The plan was to meet in a public place, a safe place, get him talking about what he did and record it. This was not the plan. He's disappeared into her living room and again she chooses to leave her front door unlocked. She enters the living room to find Spencer sitting on the sofa holding the pink blanket. Instantly infuriated she pulls it away from him.)

Rachel: (She walks to the opposite wall standing in front of the tv gripping the blanket and attempting to calm herself. She switches on a lamp and does her best to control her temper.) This is not normal behavior Spencer. You don't set out to ruin someone's life and then show up at their door for a friendly conversation at quarter to midnight. What is your problem?

Spencer: I'm not trying to ruin your life.

Rachel: You're not? Because you're doing a really good job of it. You've left me with nothing. You've taken everything I care about.

Spencer: If we can come to an arrangement and if you apologize to me, properly, then I can call the whole thing off.

Rachel: Call it off? How?

Spencer: I've got friends in high places. Just like Gill has been making her calls the past few days. (He pauses letting it sink in that he knows some of what her and Gill's activities have been.) I've got mates who can make it all go away. Have you wondered at all, why you haven't? Why a team just a few floors down from your home office, was so eager to arrest ya? Have you had any time for self-reflection these past two weeks?

Rachel: (She folds her arms.) Who? Who would you call? (Spencer flicks on his phone and holds it up for her to see. She takes a step forward, getting closer but not in arms reach and leans over to see that the name on the screen is the head of the department charging her. He flicks his finger again scrolling through the text messages he and this person have exchanged.) Right. (She tosses the pink blanket in a nearby chair and refolds her arms.) So, what then? We talk and -

Spencer: Come to an arrangement, about visitation, about maintenance, like a pair of adults. You apologize to me, properly, and then yeah, instead of a trial in what? 19 days? You'll have your life back. Job, Charlotte.

Rachel: And why couldn't this have taken place before you'd fitted me up? Why go through all this? If it could be solved by a simple conversation?

Spencer: I tried talking to ya. I brought you flowers. I called a number of times. I even stopped by one morning if you remember. You were the one making it impossible. I'm hoping now, you've been knocked down to size, you might be more manageable?

Rachel: Manageable? Fuck you.

Spencer: You might want to be a little nicer to someone whose got the power to decide, with a text, whether you're happy or locked up. Don't you think? (She fumes and turns her back to him. She stares at the wall for a moment imagining slamming his head through it.) Shall I go? Or are you going to put the kettle on? (She grinds her teeth with her frustration and then turns to him.)

Rachel: I'll put the kettle on. (She steps nearer to the sofa going for her mobile which is on the charger. It's on the arm where Spencer is sitting and he puts his hand on the phone before she can take it.)

Spencer: I don't reckon you need your mobile to make tea. (They lock eyes, challenging the other's stare until Rachel takes a step back. She'd have to find another way to record their conversation. She wrestled off murderers, nazis, pedophiles and drug dealers. She's been chased, attacked and successfully fought off a serial killer. This man however, personally violated her and now just his presence made her feel weak, made her doubt herself. She normally wouldn't hesitate to go in fists flying at any other man, one good knee to the privates and she'd have the upperhand. She's tackled more blokes than she can count to the ground and cuffed them. So why did he make her feel so small? )


	23. Scene 23 - Scott & Bailey 2019

**Note: I promise a happier second chapter. **

(In her kitchen alone. Rachel presses the button on her electric kettle and takes two mugs from the cabinet. He wasn't going to let her get to her phone so what else could she use? Charlotte's tablet was plugged in by Rachel's bed. She looks over her shoulder and tiptoes into her own bedroom. Sneaking around her own house makes her upset, she's never felt unsafe here but now with this man in the house she definitely didn't want to be caught in her room, the scene of the crime. She grabs Charlotte's tablet and tiptoes back to the kitchen. How could she get this massive thing close enough to him without him suspecting that she's recording?)

Spencer: (Calls from the other room) Rachel? Can I trust you around sharp objects? You're not getting any ideas in there are you? (His voice seems to be getting closer and she very quickly activates the camera and turns the tablet screen down on the counter. She puts an oven mitt over it. He enters the kitchen.)

Rachel: (pushes her hair behind her ears, unable to contain her nervous energy but doing her best to portray confidence.) Believe it or not, I don't want to go to prison. So, I've no plans on stabbing anyone.

Spencer: Good.

Rachel: Yeah, I'm not the sort to attack people.

Spencer: Good.

Rachel: I'm not like you.

Spencer: I didn't attack you. You wanted it, remember? Coming here, going to the bedroom, all of that was your idea.

Rachel: Yes, but when I said 'No' you should have stopped.

Spencer: I should have. I said 'sorry' for that.

Rachel: But you understand, sorry or not, that is rape?

Spencer: Rape? That's a bit harsh.

Rachel: It's what you did. I said 'No' and you kept going. What else would you call that?

Spencer: Can we not move past that and talk about what really matters?

Rachel: (lets out a scornful laugh) Move past it? Yes sure. Easy for you to say. (She folds her arms.) Did you plan it?

Spencer: What?

Rachel: I have had time to think, all these days spent on me own, and I think you lied when you apologized. I think, you had every intention to do what you did.

Spencers: (smiles and then takes a seat at her small table. She tries to fight the annoyance that he sits, knowingly or not, in the seat that Charlotte normally uses.) I told you it was heat of the moment. I got angry with ya in the moment.

Rachel: But, you've also told me that you had worked it out about Charlotte at the zoo. You said I only confirmed your suspicion when I asked to meet up. You were the one who started flirting. Then in me car, you saw her carseat. So, you knew at that point that your suspicions were correct, didn't ya? That was your first piece of real evidence wasn't it? That I'd been lying? Is that when you started to get angry?

Spencer: (nods) I suppose so.

Rachel: So when we came into my flat, and you saw her shoes by the door, instead of snogging me, you could have just confronted me then, couldn't you have? (He sits back amused by her reasonings. She hates how smug he is.) But instead, you decided you wanted to teach me a lesson, and you knew exactly how you wanted to do it. That's why you didn't bother undressing because you knew you weren't going to be staying. You knew we weren't going to have a good time. You said in your apology that you wanted to "have a good time with me" but I reckon, you didn't. Your intention from the moment we arrived at my flat, if not before, was to rape me.

Spencer: You have had a lot of time to think. (The kettle whistles. She responds to it by pouring hot water into the two mugs with teabags. She wasn't sure she was satisfied with what was said as a confession. She wanted to get him to admit it before she could lead him out of the room and away from where he might discover the poorly hidden tablet.)

Rachel: In your apology. (She places a mug in front of him.) You said you never set out to hurt me. That you don't hurt people and that I could ask anyone. Specifically, your ex. And that all sounded really good, because you're a good liar, aren't you? You roughed her up in all. That's really why she split with you.

Spencer: Charges were dropped.

Rachel: Because you bullied her into dropping them, no doubt. You're an intimidating, pushy dickhead.

Spencer: Remember what I said about being nice?

Rachel: I'll be nice to ya, if you'll be honest with me. You want to have a talk, like two adults you said, about (she pauses and long blinks before forcing the word) OUR daughter, Charlotte. And I'm willing to do that with you. But how can we have an honest conversation if you won't be honest about this?

Spencer: Fair point. So what? What do you want?

Rachel: I want to know, at what point, during the night that you decided you were going to rape me. Because it wasn't when you were on top of me.

Spencer: And this, this will help us move forward to talk about Charlotte?

Rachel: Yes.

Spencer: Alright, as soon as I got in the car and saw her seat. (Rachel's eyes tear up. She covers her mouth, she knew this deep down, but something about hearing it from him, knowing as she drove with his hand gripping her thigh and her heart pounding in anticipation, she was driving a rapist to her home.) I knew you used me and that you were planning on doing it again. So, I knew you needed humbling.

Rachel: (a tear sneaks out of her eye and she quickly wipes it) Humbling?

Spencer: Yeah, and I thought that'd do it. That'd teach you some respect. Then when I tried being sweet with you, with the flowers, I realized you required a lot more breaking than my ex did.

Rachel: You wanted to break me.

Spencer: Well I have, haven't I? It's like you said, I've taken away all you care about and I'm the only one who can give it back. You've realized that and that's why I'm here, isn't it? (Rachel shifts in her stance. She sips her tea.)

Rachel: Let's talk. (She walks toward the direction of the livingroom and listens. His chair pushes out and he starts following her with no hesitation or suspicion of the tablet. She exhales relieved by this. She got what she needed. In the livingroom she takes a seat on the far end of her sofa, the side closest to the door. He doesn't care to respect her space and sits directly in the middle of the sofa.) Charlotte.

Spencer: Right, the paternity test came back, I am the dad. If you had any lingering doubts.

Rachel: I didn't.

Spencer: And I've filed for a visitation arrangement with your sister which I can retract. I don't want full custody of her. (A tension releases in Rachel's chest that she hadn't even realized was there until he said this.)

Rachel: Good. Okay.

Spencer: I have no intention of moving to Manchester to be a part of her life. I love London and that's where my job and me son are. (Rachel nods) So, I'd really only want her, every other weekend. So that she can spend time with her brother. (Another sneaky tear slides down Rachel's cheek. He's close enough to see this one and he smiles.) Is this surprisingly more reasonable than you thought I'd be?

Rachel: Yes.

Spencer: I'll pay maintenance. I know you never asked about it, but I would rather that, then have to keep either of my kids the entire time. I've got me own life and I like having my flat tidy. But I also don't want either of them to think I wasn't there for them. So I don't mind paying it. Sound alright so far?

Rachel: Yeah, sounds brilliant.

Spencer: Better than you not seeing her for 2-8 years and me getting full custody? (Rachel nods and then shakes her head.)

Rachel: You're a sick bastard and I hate the idea of her with you for any amount of time, but I do like the idea of her having a brother.

Spencer: Sick bastard?

Rachel: This is all I wanted. If you had simply started with this, we could have come to an agreement that night! But instead you did what you did.

Spencer: Well, we're going to be in each other's lives for a very long time, aren't we? So, I needed you to know where you stand. (Rachel's eyes narrow at him and he smiles.) You're still holding out a little bit, aren't you? Not completely broken?

Rachel: What about the case against me?

Spencer: I'll text my mate and we'll drop it. It'll be like it never happened.

Rachel: Ok, well yeah. I can agree to all of that. So, what? Do we need to write something up? Sign? Shake hands? What? What gets you on the phone to your mate and gets my baby back to me? Because the visitation arrangement sounds perfect.

Spencer: Good. Yeah, so…(He takes his mobile and opens a pdf document.)...You sign here, agreeing to that. (Rachel takes the phone from him and reads over the simple document. It's not something official but it's a personally made document. It does state in one of the lines that "Rachel Bailey, the child's mother, will maintain full custody of the child." She reads the rest of it carefully making sure there is no tricky wording or anything. She looks him over confused for a moment but the document is straightforward and honest.)

Rachel: I'll need a copy.

Spencer: Of course. You sign. Then I will. And I'll send it. (She nods and uses her finger to sign her name on the screen. She watches as he then does the same.)

Rachel: I need a copy.

Spencer: Alright. Calm down. (He lets out a light laugh at her obvious desperateness for this agreement. He opens an email, attaches the file and then hands the phone over to her.) Send it to your email. (She types in her email and also CC's Gill. She sends it before he might notice she CC'd anyone else. She also lets out a laugh, feeling more and more relieved. She hands him his mobile.) Good. You feel good about that?

Rachel: Yeah, great.

Spencer: Good. It's only any good, of course, if you're not in prison.

Rachel: Right.

Spencer: (He leans a little closer to her and this makes her uncomfortable at first until she realizes it is just so that she can see the screen on his mobile. He pulls up the text messages with the Prosecutor of her case. He types and looks out the corner of his eye, she's hooked on every tap of the keys. She watches the message appear on the screen letter by letter. "I'd like for you to drop the charges against Rachel Bailey." However, he doesn't hit send. She stares at the button and the message and then looks to him.) You want me to send this?

Rachel: Obviously, yeah. (She laughs)

Spencer: Well, then, you've got to apologize.

Rachel: I have done. Over and over, haven't I? For not telling you about her sooner. That night. In my office. Over the phone. (She shakes her head and then shrugs) I am sorry. Very very sorry.

Spencer: You have said that, yes, but to me actions speak louder. (Rachel's eyes search his.) So, I'll send this. But first you've got to apologize, properly. (He raises his eyebrows and then looks down at his crotch. Her eyes follow his and then looks back to his smug face.)

Rachel: (outraged) What?! No.

Spencer: You sure?

Rachel: Yeah, I'm fucking sure. I'm not doing that.

Spencer: Well, I guess we'll see how you do at trial then.

Rachel: You're a sick bastard.

Spencer: I'm sure you've done it before Rachel. You're not an innocent. And those other blokes you blew, that was for nothing, weren't it? This, this would be for your daughter, for your freedom, for your job. It's a small thing for me to ask, if you think about it like that.

Rachel: No, I won't.

Spencer: That big gob of yours usually gets you into trouble. (He reaches over putting a hand under her chin. Her body stiffens.) Why not let it get you out of trouble for once? (He brushes his thumb across her bottom lip. Rachel's body shivers at his touch and she bites down hard on his thumb. He shouts and attempts to yank his hand away but she's latched down drawing blood. He uses his free hand and slaps her hard in the face causing her to let go. Everything is black for a moment as she recovers from the hit. He grips her neck, not hard enough to choke her but enough to get control of her.) Why would you ruin this? I'm giving you a way out. (She attempts to punch him but he catches her arm. She raises the other hand and this causes him to let go of her neck to stop both of her arms. She struggles attempting to pull away and has a flash of when he was on top of her gripping her the same way. She slams her forehead into his face. The daze of the impact stuns her some too and she realizes she's bleeding probably cut by a tooth. His hold on her is gone as he holds his face, shocked by the pain and feeling for the blood on his now bust lip. He punches at her but only hits the side of her arm as she rolls herself off of the sofa. He kicks the coffee table out of the way and she scrambles to her feet. He chases her into the kitchen. She runs as far into the room as she can and turns her back to the counter. There's no way out of the kitchen but it was the only way away from him. Her unlocked front door was not an option without being grabbed. He pauses in the doorway realizing he's got her trapped.) You might go down in history as the dumbest bitch in the world.

Rachel: (grabs her electric kettle) The rest of this will be all over you if you don't leave me.

Spencer: I thought we could do this the nice way. Clearly you need some more learning- (He charges toward her and she holds the button attempting to splash water at him. He grabs her wrist and twists the kettle out of her hand. It clatters to the floor. Hot water spilling out slowly. She punches his side but Spencer's built solidly, all muscle, and his body absorbs the impact with barely any response from him. She pulls her wrist free and thrusts herself towards the knife block. He shoves her and coupled with her already forward momentum her hips hit hard against the counter. He grabs one wrist but she manages to pull a knife with the other. Before she can turn to face him with the knife, he punches her in the back and the force of his fist causes her knees to buckle. He kicks the back of her knee and this makes Rachel fall. She's on the tiled floor and still has a hold of the knife. She swings it forward but misses and he kicks her in the chest. Her head and body slam back into the cabinet.)

Rachel: Ah! (It takes her more than a few seconds to even catch her breath from that impact. She again blindly swings the knife but the thick fabric of his joggers protect him from the sideways swipe. He lands a hard punch near her neck and this one snaps her collar bone. The extreme pain from her bone snapping causes her to drop the knife. He kicks the knife out of her reach and her eyes are closed from the shocking pain. He grabs the knife for himself and when her eyes open it's pointed at her face. Her eyes fix on the blade and then she looks up at Spencer's mad eyes, they're wild with a fury and a pleasure.)

Spencer: You're a dumb bitch. You could have easily put an end to this. Now, you're gonna blow me anyway.

Rachel: No.

Spencer: From where I'm standing it doesn't look like you can refuse. (He very quickly and easily removes himself from his joggers. Both his erection and the knife are directed at her face.) If you fucking bite me, this knife will go straight through your throat. Understood? And I'll clean up. Wipe your mobile and no one will find you for days. Because no one really cares and you'll just be here rotting like the rubbish that you are.

Rachel: Please don't.

Spencer: You could've done this the easy way. This way I may or may not send the text, depends on how much I enjoy it. Now, open wide.

(The next morning around 11, Gill bounds up Rachel's front steps. She knocks eagerly at the door and waits. She's brimming ear to ear with a smile and knocks again. She waits and then tries the handle. For the second time, the door is unlocked. She tsks at Rachel's carelessness.)

Gill: (Calls out) Rachel? (She gets no response and assumes she's asleep. She walks to the living room and looks at the sofa. Rachel is not there but the coffee table is titled out of place and it looks like tea was spilled. One mug is tipped over on the table but then it strikes Gill as unusual that there are two mugs. She sees Rachel's phone is plugged in on the arm of the sofa. She walks to the kitchen on the way to the hall assuming Rachel's in bed but sees her sprawled on the kitchen floor. Gill rushes over to Rachel's body, there are drops of blood on the tiled floor beside her and blood smeared on her chin and forehead.) Rachel? (She touches Rachel's neck and feels a pulse. She kneels to lift her head but this causes Rachel to yowl in pain. Gill now notices the swollen and bruised collarbone. Rachel's eyes flutter open and then close again. Gill quickly pulls out her mobile and dials 999.)

(When Rachel's eyes flutter back open it's much later in the day. She's confused again by an unfamiliar ceiling. Much of her body is in pain. She groans and then looks to her left. She's connected to a machine and realizes she's in hospital. Her vision is a little unstable at first much like a handheld camera but it eventually settles and she can see one vision clearly. She then becomes aware of her name being said softly off to the other side of her. She slowly moves her head to face the voice. It's Gill.)

Gill: Hiya kid. (Rachel smiles.)

Rachel: I-

Gill: Let me call the nurse first. (She presses a button on one of Rachel's monitors and it makes a binging sound for a nurse. Rachel is visibly bruised on her cheek where he hit her, only two small stitches were administered to the cut on Rachel's head. Her arm on the broken collarbone side is in a sling to restrict movement and start the healing.)

Rachel: I concussed?

Gill: Yes. Among other things.

Rachel: I, I fought.

Gill: You did good kid.

Rachel: Hm. (She clears her throat) I lost.

Gill: No you didn't. You've won.

Nurse: (enters) Oh, hello. Looks like someone's awake again.

Gill: Yes but she's speaking now.

Nurse: (Gets close to Rachel and begins checking vitals) Can you tell me your name?

Rachel: Rachel Bailey.

Nurse: Do you know what year it is?

Rachel: 2019. I'm parched.

Nurse: Ok, we'll get you water after you speak with the doctor ok? Are you experiencing any pain or discomfort? (She tests Rachel's vision causing her to follow her finger back and forth.)

Rachel: Yes.

Nurse: Where Rachel?

Rachel: My neck.

Nurse: Not your head?

Rachel: No.

Nurse: On a scale of 1-10, 10 being the worst. How bad is the pain?

Rachel: 6?

Nurse: Alright. I'll get you something to take for the pain. Do you remember what happened to you?

Rachel: Yes.

Nurse: Alright. Good. I'm going to fetch the Doctor. You were concussed and your collarbone has been broken. Please don't attempt to make any sudden movements. (looks to Gill) I'll be right back. (The room is quiet except for the beeping and whirring of machines.)

Gill: (takes a hold of Rachel's hand on her good side. Rachel turns her head again to look at Gill. Gill looks over Rachel sympathetically and then smiles.) He's been arrested.

Rachel: Oh?

Gill: You've been in and out of consciousness for the past few hours. The first thing you said to me and only thing until just now was "Tablet." The police found the tablet and Rachel, you recorded everything.

Rachel: Hm.

Gill: And the charges were dropped against you.

Rachel: What?

Gill: That's why I came to yours, because first thing this morning, I got a call saying the prosecutor was throwing out your case. You wouldn't answer your mobile so I decided to deliver the good news in person.

Rachel: Really?

Gill: Yes. They dismissed it before I found you battered on your kitchen floor.

Rachel: Really?

Gill: Yes. CPS has called you and left a message. They've also sent your solicitor an email which they forwarded over saying the case against you has been dropped. (Rachel's grip on Gill's hand tightens and she bursts into tears. Tears of relief and also grief of her reality.) Shh shh shh. (Gill holds her hand in both of hers.) Here, it's good news. He's getting the book thrown at him. The video is enough to charge him of aggrivated rape but now that you're awake you can consent to a kit. They'll uh- (She looks at Rachel's bruised bottom lip) They'll get DNA surely from that and he's out of your life…(She touches Rachel's face and Rachel calms some.) You get your life back. (Gill uses her thumb to wipe away some of Rachel's tears. Rachel closes her eyes and presses her cheek into Gill's palm absorbing the tenderness.)


	24. Scene 24 - Scott & Bailey 2019

(Rachel was kept overnight for observation to make sure there was no bleeding or swelling on the brain. She was interviewed by the police and gave her statement. The rape-kit and mouth swabs recovered no semen but the mouth swab did have traces of his blood and skin. Spencer is charged with the rape he admitted to and the sexual assault that was recorded on the tablet. He is held on remand until his trial. The next day, although bruised in her chest, neck, face and back, with only one broken bone and stitches, Rachel is able to be discharged with prescribed mild pain medicine. Gill is there to give her a ride.)

(In the car. Gill gently taps Rachel's knee to stop her from fidgeting with the fabric on her sling.)

Rachel: They're making me see a doctor, like a, a therapist.

Gill: Good.

Rachel: You didn't go when they told you to. After Helen-

Gill: No, but that was a very different type of trauma.

Rachel: Yeah but, it didn't work for you did it? There's no point going over and over it?

Gill: You've got to do it anyway kid. Sorry to tell ya. If you want to get back in your job you're going to have to pass an evaluation.

Rachel: Prove I'm not a nutter.

Gill: Just try it. It helped Janet-

Rachel: Yeah, but Janet is- She's a bleeding heart. She's not like us.

Gill: Us?

Rachel: Yeah, the pick up and get on with it, sort. That's what I'm going to do.

Gill: Good, I really really hope you can. But talking to someone isn't going to hurt ya.

Rachel: What happened to me...I just keep thinking about, this little girl, this school girl I think her name was Daysha? There were 11 blokes in that video, forcing her to- She got on with it. She didn't press charges. I asked her if she wanted to talk to someone, she said no. So, who am I? To be sat here, whinging about it? When what happened to her was so much worse.

Gill: One of the only helpful things the therapist I had to see said, was that you can't compare pain and you can't rationalize feelings. Just because a worse thing happened to someone else doesn't make what happened to you any less awful. Your worst and someone else's worst, are never going to be the same. There's someone somewhere, right now, crying far more tears than you'll ever allow yourself over something as simple as getting their mobile stolen. But if that's the worst thing that's ever happened to them, their feelings are valid. You've gotta allow yourself that, validate yourself.

Rachel: I just really want to fast-forward that bit and get back to work.

Gill: Take time. Heal up.

(In Gill's flat.)

Gill: (enters the livingroom where Rachel sits on the settee smiling at her phone.) Who's that?

Rachel: Basically everyone. They must've just told them that the charges are dropped. Anna text saying she can't wait until I get back. And Neal and Janet. Anna said she's bursting to tell me about the cases they've got while I was out. (smirks) It's almost like they missed me.

Gill: Of course they did. (Rachel nods and smiles. There were so many dark empty days it felt like. She had been isolated and alone and when he said no one cared and that she was rubbish, she could only hear her mother saying the same thing. But the flood of texts she's been receiving the past hour refute that. People were just following rules. People cared about her. She watches as Gill checks the oven, she's got food cooking.)

Rachel: Is this, going to be alright?

Gill: What?

Rachel: Us staying with you?

Gill: It's only for a few days while Janet and Allison sort your flat.

Rachel: Right. (Looks at her phone) Ali says she's almost here.

Gill: Are you excited?

Rachel: I hate that she's got to see me like this. (She gestures to her face and sling)

Gill: Good thing is, she's 3. So, chances are she's not going to remember any of this. (Rachel nods. Gill's mobile rings and she smiles. Pressing a button.) That's the door.

Rachel: It's them?

Gill: Must be.

Rachel: (Eagerly stands and fidgets, first with her hair then with her sling. She's anxious. She looks to Gill.) I don't look scary though. Do I? Not like, I don't want to upset her.

Gill: No. You're banged up, but you don't look scary. You look a lot better than even earlier today.

Rachel: I put a little bit of concealer.

Gill: Oh. Will you get the door or shall I? (Rachel's smile spreads wide across her face revealing her dimple. She hurries to Gill's front door even a few steps ahead of Gill. She opens the door to the flat to an empty hallway. They can hear the doors to the lift ding and slide open. )

Allison: (heard from afar) No, no, it's this way. (Charlie's little feet are heard and she pulls her aunt's arm around the corner. As soon as she turns the corner she sees Rachel in the doorway and her smile spreads across her face matching her mother's. Rachel lets out a laugh and happy tears blur her vision unexpectedly. Rachel kneels as her little one pulls free from Allison's hold and runs down the hallway to Gill's open door. Rachel lifts her good arm opening up for a hug, preparing for the tiny impact but Charlie stops short. She sees the bruise on her mother's cheek and the sling. She's confused.)

Rachel: It's alright. C'mon. (Charlie laughs and then jumps into Rachel's open arm. She's anything but gentle but Rachel doesn't care. She squeezes her daughter as tightly as she can with her one hand.) Oh, I missed you so much. (She kisses her daughter's curly hair over and over. Allison makes her way over.) Oh my love.

Charlotte: Mummy! (stays wrapped in her mother's arm but leans her head back to get a good look at her. Rachel kisses her cheek and then puckers her lips. Charlotte puckers hers and plants a kiss on her mother's mouth. Then Rachel makes a show of kissing her repeatedly on her cheeks. Charlotte giggles and squirms.)

Allison: Oiy. Be careful Charlotte. Mummy's arm is hurt. (Charlotte stops abruptly and looks again at the sling.)

Charlotte: Is your arm hurt?

Rachel: (nods) Yeah. (Charlotte leans over, still being held by Rachel's good arm, and kisses the sling. She then looks back at her mother's face.)

Charlotte: Is your face hurt?

Rachel: Yeah. (Charlotte kisses the bruise under Rachel's bottom lip.) Thank you Charlie. I'm feeling better already.

Charlotte: What happened?

Rachel: Well, I was fighting a bad guy.

Charlotte: Did you win? (Rachel takes a hold of her daughter's hand and kisses her palm.)

Rachel: I reckon I did.

THE END

**Thanks everyone and anyone who bothered reading. I did not see this story going as dark as it got when I initially started it but I promise that if/when I do a second Scott & Bailey that it'll have happier times. Lol...anyway thanks for reading. Love to hear what you thought.**


	25. Update

Hey everyone! Thanks so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. If so... there's more where that came from. lol I've posted **Part 2- Scott Bailey 2019 **to follow the events that took place in this story. Please check it out.


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